The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser. — Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1833-05-21 00:00:00

WEST INDIA MEETING. I ! . eting of merchants, planters, and others inte ash West India colonies, was held on Saturday at Louse Tavern, St. James' s - s t ree t, f or th e p urpose '?nsideration the present state of the West In he meeting was most respectably attended. 'se present we noticed—Earl Harewood, Vis- Tthere, St. Vincents, and Lord Reay, the Mar .l.r Windham Dalling, Colonel Baillie, J. E. )ir William Struth, Mr. Stewart, M.P., ..P., Mr. Godson 111. P., Mr. J. Stewart, M.P., M.P., Mr. Bernal, M.P., Sir John Rae Reid, nder Grant, Bart., Sir Henry Martin, Bart., i 2 o'clock Lord Comberm ere t oo k th e c h a i r . of the last meeting having been read over by Mr. Saintsbury, they were a ffi rmed. 'DER moved the thanks of the meeting to the 7e gentlemen that had carried on the negocia- India body with Government, and that co irrevondence be forwarded to every Member of agent for Antigua, seconded the resolution, in wished to ask for what purpose the present led ? N—To petition the King and both Houses of t hought the meeti ng p rema t ure , or , a t a ll even t s , )t,.ce of it had not been given. At the meeting it was agreed not to meet again until Monday by the veriest chance that he heard of it at all. , bservations the resolution was unanimously ING, in the name of the committee, returned iressed their gratitude for the good ()Onion the entertained of their services. '1 hey (the had an arduous duty to perform, and they felt should have been performed to the satisfaction tents. If they had not been successful, they 1 . (Cheers.) ) 0D rose to mov e a reso l u ti on w hi c h wa s som e - With the last. The thanks of the meeting had , ose gentlemen who carried on the negociations mt. He thought that all present would agree was impossible to conduct with interest to all 'at and important question in detail in such a ig as that. He suggested, therefore, the pro 1g a committee of gentlemen to conduct their This plan would prevent long, and often an which always prevented business being con mly. (Hear.) If the meeting agreed with he thought they could not do better Wan re :ntlemen they had just thanked for their ser- Iv of none more capable of managing the af- Much useful information had been collected 'en, aud, he had no doubt, they would bring ion with Govei nment to a firm and final con 's.) He therefore moved that the same gen the late committee be re-appointed, with de outports, to confer with Government, and 'fication of the plan introduced by Mr. Stanley • Commons. He (Lord Halewood) wished to lernent of the slave question, by an equitable with a due regard to the rights of property.— having been seconded, tid, before the meeting were called upon to ion of this vital importance to the interests of attention was required. The noble lord had tages derived by the exertions of the late com- I willing to give every credit for their exertions, danger in trusting such an important subject is question to the management of any commit .) He knew the characters of the gentlemen guarantee for their fidelity and integrity • yet, light think right to . pursue for the general detrimental to the interests of some particular as an agent for one of the colonies, he felt the resolution. He did not make these me ', but 4,ie consideied that it was not expedient 'e or four gentlemen the power of deciding on thirteen or fourteen Colonies, having different was from a sense of duty that he offered these ;gent for Jamaica) could not let the meeting without stating his decided opposition to the dby the noble Lord. He implored the no call upon the meeting to adopt the resolution. the plan of Government, and was convinced 'en seen—that it was not capable of being ac tblic at large, or the West India body. (Hear, More, did implore the meeting, before they de ion of so irnpottant a nature, that they would 'ffeet. It did not interfere with certain rights • all interests. He hoped, however, the noble press it, and then he (Mr. Burge) would ab ring into details of his opposition. He must, lat the duty he owed to his constituents he rust to others. (Hear, hear.) The duty and • in him must be taken away before he could' ;elution. IouGLAs, M.P., hoped all their discussions on with temper and moderation. What they to-day was, whether the time had arrived when nv up the plan proposed by Government or it the West India body were determined to They sincerely wished for a final adjustment Ls. He thought, however, all must allow that far too numerous to transact business pro inestion therefore was, whether a committee )pointed, or another fixed day for that purpose. td; in his opinion, best ascertain what steps Go -4d to pursue. The question was now for the :ed before Parliament by a Minister of the lust say, that in his opinion, the Right Hon. Colonies had brought it forward in the true '33. ( Hear, hear.) He had not by his warmth reds of Government, or advanced himself in the country gave him credit for. Perhaps, le Lord would consent to postpone the resolu tion ensued between Lord St. Vincent and se ietors. ton said, if it was the wish of the meeting, he to postpone the resolution. :WART, Esq., M. P., thought the resolution oable and ought to be passed without a dis- He wished to see the question settled in a man ith justice and humanity, and for that purpose !e could not be appointed; and he saw no 'te le the resolution. Ile (Mr. Stewart) had re anted agent for Tobago, and if Tobago might inst mighty Jamaica, he should vote strenu ng their affairs to a committee. For God's consistently. On Tuesday next the packet I it not carry the intelligence that their dis postponed ;_ no, let it carry with it the little Mentions. (Hear, hear.) • !mild never allow this resolution to pass unani t bound to offer his strongest opposition to it. iMinon interest to protect., and he did not see ;ts should be delegated to a Select Committee. property on which he depended was in the did, therefore, hope that further time would !iteration. As to the propriety of appointing suggested that it should be postponed until OD.—The meeting can dispose of the resolu but I feel bound to persevere in putting it. 'oti next addressed the meeting with much le noble Lord persevered in his motion, he not shrink from doing his duty to his consti : an amendment. (Hear.) He was taken and had not had an opportunity of consulting tem he acted. If the Government of the coun a difficulty,—and that they had no one would 'et out of it themselves. (Hear.) Let them' body of proprietors and ask for advice. He ,with Lord llowick, that if the Legislature of td not ensure the co-operation of the colonies 'Ss to pass any law. He was of opinion too, :ee had before overstepped the instructions of r• (Hear, hear.) The West India body had )sition to it; it was therefore folly to appoint le. He wished to promote the emancipation Luch as any one, but he wished that to be done colonies. He should oppose the appointment help Government out of the difficulties they • had no doubt they wished for relief. HERE.—By agreeing to the appointment of a 'reprietor pledged himself. l'he committee Icier the directions of the general body. Per resolution might be so altered so as to remove ) 0 13 must again say their important business 'erly conducted at such a numerous meeting. otl th , :e of the difficulties Government had got into, It was the interest of the meeting not to add to nit S: e ' s gelletal m e with ra Crust ° illtatheßriti Ela A ki a n tel ed He ; tor , an , . 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" a 1:;-,s . ,. il tk er a ! to ti e l 0, 1 ,1 ...: 4 1, S„. i t , l .• • • '.;94( w• • Ns,' , Sec t i 510 ' .' D 11'Y could •••••: 'V• V 4 ......: h ,4, i,.%sele s ,cs, , ~. br ,7 , 1 , 41 i kitt( ~ • •:, ~• to o ' ,, .i t , uody. ' .;., " . 10 ii:, ) 4l„, °l ?Pos Pas - pti o te h e xe s -- ittet iSi 9, P ', t Y t, a ,l_nu 9 / ' A t t he ( __Vl' „ o '4, 5 - ee to n orit'root l. I; • Ile le 131.11 tile ' ' f k j 4lo v-oli 0, for 0 0 Litq Ito pr ing the o sc b , 14, 0 1 t t itn, tbe fo C i . q ,am 1) ,. 5 5 a L, lt vvoe sP a r e' th e % W :ll l4° Pe (e/ iii k, are THE LIVERPOOL STANDARD. those difficulties. (Hear.) If Ministers were left loaded with them, it would be no advantage to the West India pro prietor. (Hear, hear, hear.) He was well aware they de served all they had brought upon themselves, yet they could not suffer without the West India proprietors suffering also. ( Hear.) When he spoke of the plan he could not help using hard words, and the meeting should be aware that Ministers were reckless men, and they might, if not resisted, determine to go for ward to the utter ruin of the proprietors. (Hear, hear.) Mr. WGREGOR, of Glasgow, wished for a committee to be appointed, with whom the outports could communicate. Go vernment would not by that means be relieved of its responsi bility. In common sense they must make compensation for pro perty taken away. He thought there could not be a more com petent committee than the last. Mr. Moss, of Liverpool, was anxious for the appointment of a committee. Mr. BROWN (agent for one of the colonies) said he differed from the other agents, and was decidedly in favour of a com mittee. At all the meetings of the West India body angry dis cussions were sure to arise. (Cries of No, no.) Mr. BaowN.—Why we have had an instance of it to-day in an Hon. Baronet. Sir A. GRANT—I did not feel the least angry; 1 only talked in a loud tone of voice. (Laughter.) Mr. BROWN then proceeded to argue in favour of a com mittee. Sir A. Grant, Mr. Bernal, Mr. Hodson, and Mr. Carrington, proposed amendments; and after a protracted and desultory discussion, a resolution was at length put, to the effect that " the five gentlemen who had before been deputed to commu nicate with the Government on the part of the West India body, should be appointed as a committe, to co-operate with the deputies from the out-ports, with power to add to their numbers, for the purpose of procuring an immediate final settlement of the question of negro slavery, according to the letter and spirit of the resolution of the House of Commons, in the year 1823, and consistently with the interests of the slaves themselves, and with the safety of the colonies, without violating the rights of property." 'I he resolution was carried by acclamation, and with only three dissentients—Mr. Carrington, Mr. Myers, and Mr. Cun ningham, jun. Sir ALEXANDER GRANT was glad that, even at that late hour, the meeting had at length come to the point when the main business of the day might be ventured upon. He proposed an address to the King, to the effect that " The petitioners ap proached his Majesty in this period of alarm and dismay with a full confidence in his paternal feelings; and that he would protect all classes of his subjects, the weakest as well as the most powerful. That the petitioners were threatened with the confiscation of their property in their slaves, of which the consequence would., be to deprive the planters of the means of cultivating their estates, and to reduce them and all those who had any interest in their claims to destruction. That they were confidently assured that such injustice, even to a body so weak as the petitioners, would not receieve the royal sanctbn, unless accompanied by a full, fair, and equitable compenSation ; that they conceived that if the legislature be of opinion that, in the execution of a high moral duty, and attainment of a great pub lic object, to interfere with the property of the petitioners, they were bound, as in every legislative interference with the rights of property, to offer a compensation for the surrender, which could not equitably be enforced without the consent of the pro prietors; the petitioners would not oppose any equitable mea sure for the attainment of the objects contemplated by the Government in respect to colonial slavery ; but they could not consent to any measure which did not include a just compensa tion for the surrender of that which was undeniably their right ful and legal property. They relied with confidence upon the protection of the only one of our kings who had witnessed him self the loyalty of his subjects in the \Vest Indies, and who was aware, from his own personal observation and experience, of the falsehood of the calumnies which were adduced in support of the measures of injustice and confiscation with which they were threatened." (Hear, hear, hear.) Mr. BAR RETT, Speaker of the House of Assembly of Jamaica, seconded the motion for the address read by Sir A. Grant. Lord COMBERMERE was requested to present the address, which, he said, he would willingly undertake to do, and to urge upon his Majesty the claims of the petitioners upon the royal protection from the invasion of their property with which they were threatened. Mr. BARRETT, in rising to move a petition to the same effect as the address, was desirous to take the present opportunity of contradicting, but without any-intention of offence, the mis statements made, in the House of Commons, by Mr. Secretary Stanley, in bringing before Parliament the propositions of the Government for the abolition of slavery. Had all the great powers concurred in the abolition of the slave trade, Cuba, Ben gal, and the Mauritius, would not have produced more sugar than they did now. At the time slavery was established, Eng land alone was interested in the abolition. At this time slavery was in existence with more violence than at any other period. Out of 136 ships that had left the coast of Africa, a' great num ber had left with cargoes of human beings. This was the sys tem that Mr. Buxton and his party should apply themselves to. This trade was illegal; they could not call the West India slaves not legal property, but foolish people had raised such clamour that the rum of the West India colonies must be com pleted. He felt confident that the slave trade would be carried on between Jamaica and Cuba, which was only a short distance off, and constant irruptions would be made on Jamaica to carry off the slaves. In Brazil and the northern states of America there were vast numbers of slaves; in the latter not less than two millions. He did not think America would be very much obliged for the manner in which Mr. Stanley had spoken of slavery. He contended that the statements made by the Colo nial secretary in reference to the colonial legislatures were not founded in fact, and said Mr. Stanley had attempted to make out a case that the colonial legislatures had not carried into effect the resolutions of Parliament, and for this " contumely," as he called it, that more active measures must be adopted to amend the condition of the slaves. If it could be shown that the colonial legislatures had taken steps to carry the resolutions into effect, that part of Mr. Stanley's speech must , fall to the ground. In 182-1 the resolutions were received in the colonies. Mr. Stanley said all the colonies disdainfully refused to carry the resolutions into effect till 1826. One year after the resolu tions had been received in Jamaica, an official despatch had been sent by that legislature to Lord Bathurst, in which they stated that two important acts had been passed considerably ameliorating the condition of the slaves. In another despatch, sent out to the colonial legislature, it was stated that measures should be adopted for the amelioration of the condition of the slaves, and two acts were passed for the extinction of the Sun day market. Lord Manchester, in his dispatch to the Colonial Secretary, stated his conviction that the colonial legislature would from time to time do all in their power to improve the condition of the slaves, but the noble duke expressed his opi nion that the minds of the slaves were not yet in that state to qualify them for freedom, as they had not given up their desire for mischief. The honourable gentleman proceeded to detail the acts passed by the colonial legislature to amend the condi tion of the slaves. In the year 1826, eight bills were sent. from the colonial office, said Mr. Stanley in his speech, having for their object the abolition of slavery, not one of which, he stated, had received consideration from the colonial legislatures. What was the fact ? Had Mr. Stanley told a plain unvarnished tale of the proceedings of the colonial legislatures, , he would not have given that false and coloured statement that had been pub. lished to the world. (Hear.) Mr. Stanley laid great stress on those bills not being passed, but Earl Bathurst, in sending them out exposed the difficulty there was in framing any bills that could be carried into effect consistently with the laws and usages in the colonies. These bills were scut down by the Duke of Manchester to the colonial legislature, which- took them into consideration, and, in speaking of them, the noble duke said the alterations were valuable additions to the inten tions of Government. The, colonial legislature passed a bill, in the year 1826, even combining the sectarian clauses so strongly objected to previously. The bill of the governor was, however, withheld, because it contained clauses relative to religion. The honourable gentleman went on to detail the correspondence be tween Lord Belmore and Sir G. Murray, upon the-subject of the amelioration of the condition of the slaves. So late as 1831, Lord Goderich had written to Lind 13ehnore stating the pleasure felt by his Majesty by the passing of the act now in ex istence iu Jamaica, which tended to ameliorate the condition of the slaves, and to promote the final extinction of slavery. The colonial legislatures had been commended for their treasures in respect to the bills which had come before the House of Assem bly, in the shape of eight propositions. The colonial le gislatures had been called upon, first, for the abolition of the Sunday markets, and the Assembly passed a bill putting down the Sunday markets after ten o'clock in the morning. The second proposition called upon the legislature to ad mit slave evidence. The Assembly had passed a law to this effect, and had only exempted such evidence as would affect the life of a white man. The third proposition was that slave marriages should be sanctioned. The proposed machinery of the Colonial-office was got rid of by the Assembly, and mar riage between slaves was rendered legal, the sanction of the master being alone sufficient. The next point was, the aboli tion ,of the tax on the manumission of slaves. Such tax had been long before abolished, except as far as regards compulsory manumission. The colonial legislature had not consented to abolish a tax on compulsory manumission, as when a slave be came free he did not labour so actively as before. The next proposition was that' slaves should not be separated from their families. Now it had for a long time been illegal to separate families; and so strong a desire was there in the colonial legis latures to prevent the separation of slaves, that a clause in the 1 iw bad been inserted, that with a small levy on an estate it was illegal to separate a family. The next point was that of regu lating punishment on the slaves. So jealous were the magis trates with respect to the punishment of the slaves, that on a negro complaining even of a scratch which the overseer could not satisfactorily account for, the negro had the benefit of the law. (Cheers.) The next and last proposition was th a t o f establishing savings banks. Now it happened to be something to know that slaves had any money to save. But he contended that the negro was not yet in a condition to appreciate the value of such establishments. In a district over which he acted as chief justice, an overseer had given notice that he was ready to take in money on good security, acknowledged to be good; and what was the result? He (Mr. Barrett) had said that the over seer's book would remain without a blot; and, after having ad vertised in all the newspapers for some time, not a single five penny piece was deposited in the chest. . Next a demand for a protection of slaves was called for; bat lie contended that the people of Jamaica would never consent to pay stipendiary ma gistrates. He did not defend the punishment of flogging, but he wished to know how much time had elapsed since flogging women at the cart's tail had been abolished in this country. The people of the colonies are of opinion that they should not abandon their property without compensation. With respect to the punishment of the negroes, he, as a planter, would state that any other punishment to which the slaves could be made subject, would be much more severe than that now imposed upon them. The whole course pursued by Mr. Stanley showed a want of candour. With respect to the decrease of the negroes on the sugar plantations, it was an extraordinary fact that dur ing the late revolution not less than 5000 soldiers sprung up in the obscure parts of the island, and which no one knew the ex istence of. These men were blacks, and accounted for the re duction of slaves on certain estates. .There were gentlemen, however, he was sure, present, who would prove that the culti vation of sugar was not unwholesome. '1 hon. gentleman concluded by referring to other parts of the evidence, to show the misrepresentations of Mr. Stanley. Mr. BURGE said the honourable gentleman had exposed the misrepresentations of Mr. Stanley. There was one law in the colony he would refer to • it was, that if a slave was so im properly treated, as had been stated by Mr. Stanley, the owner not only lost his slave, who was declared free, but he had to pay in price, which went into a fund to provide for the slave. The colonies had shown that which had called for the approval of Sir G; Murray, Mr. Huskisson, and Lord Goderich, while Mr. Stanley:only three weeks in office, had declared the colonial legislature's had not only not done anything, but that they had, in fact, treated the order in council with disdain. The great and momentous question under discussion, he had expected would have been opened in the House of Commons by concilia tion, a question which, from popular feeling, had made thousands of victims. Wai it fair for .Mr. Stanley to have stated the colonies had done nothing to promote religious instruction, when Jamaica alone, out of the public treasury, paid' not less than £25,000 a-year for this purpose ? With 'aspect to the num ber of slaves manumitted, Mr. Stanley had much underrated the lumbers. In Jamaica alone, between 1817 and 1830, not less than 8,000 slaves had had - freedom 'granted to them, 4,000 of which - were voluntary on the part of the proprietors. The honourable gentleman proceeded to address the meeting, and contended that many of the facts stated by Mr. Stanley were nufounded in truth. He would now read the petition. The petition to the House of Lords Was adopted, to be pre sented by the Duke, of, Wellington; and. that to the House of Commons by Sir Richard Vyvvan. The meeting adjourned at half-past five o'clock. EMANCIPATION SCHEME. The following comprehends the heads of the measure, with the observations made thereupon, by the Committee of the West India body : I. That every slave, upon the passing of this Act, should be at liberty to claim before the protector of slaves. custos of the parish, or such other officer as shall be named by his Majesty for that purpose, to be registered as an apprenticed labourer. OBSERVATION.—The direct effect of this clause is to deprive the owner of his property; and its operation would impose this obviously additional hardship upon the proprietor, that while his able and effective people would take the advantage of it to place themselves in the condition of apprenticed labourers: the unserviceable, the aged, the infirm, to whom by law he is bound equally, would be left a burthensome charge. 11. That the terms of such apprenticeship should be : I. That the power of corporeal punishment should be alto gether taken from the master and transferred to the magi strate. OBSERVATION.---The only object being to secure the labour of,the negro, the substitution of any authority which may be efficient according to the various circumstances of different co lonies, to attain that end, would he most desirable. 2. That in consideration of food and clothing, and such al lowances as are now made by law to the slave, the labourer should work for his master three-fourths of his time, leaving it to be settled by contract whether for three-fourths of u week or of each day. OrisEavATION.--This clause, whilst it professes to reserve to the proprietor, for the limited period of twelve years, the services of the negro in the character of an apprentice, yet the subtrac tion of one-fourth of those services deprives him at once of at least one-fourth of the gross production of his property. Upon this fact the question presents itself, whether this fourth of his gross roduce is not equal to his entire net revenue. If it should be equal to that revenue it follows, of course, that this clause, instead of enabling the proprietor to derive, even during this limited period, any benefit from the services of the appren tice, takes away from him his entire property. 3, 4. That the labourer should have a right to claim employ ment of his master for the remaining fourth part of his time, ac cording to a fixed scale of wages. That during such fourth part of his time the labourer should be at liberty to employ himself elsewhere. OBSERVATION.—These clauses are most objectionable, as being imperative upon the master, while they are optional to the negro. There may be periods when his services would be useless to the master, others when they would be most valuable. By these clauses it would be in the power of the negro to force his services upon the master during the former, and pertinaci ously withhold them during the latter periods. 5,6, (also -§ V.) That the master should fix a price upon the labourer. at the time of his apprenticeship. That the wages to be paid by the master should bear such a proportion to the price fixed by him, that for the whole of his spare_ time, if given to his master, the negro should receive one-twelfth of his price annually, and in proportion for each lesser term. Thai the half yearly payments herein before authorized to be made by the: apprenticed negroes be taken in liquidation of so much of the debt contracted by the planters to the puldic. OBSEAVATIoN.HThe clauses demonstrate the delusiveness of the supposed compensation. The owner is to pay wages for one-fourth of the services of the negro during the period of apprenticeship.' Thus a portion of the services.of the negro, to which the owner is entitled, is taken from him to create a fund for the repayment of the sum to be lent to the owner as a compensation. Its operation on the property is precisely the same as if the national debt were redeemed - by taking a portion of the dividends of the fuudholder to constitute a sinking fund for the redemption of the whole. 7. That every negro, on becoming an apprentice, shall be entitled to a money payment weekly, in-lieu of food and cloth ' ing, should he prefer it, the amount to be fixed by a magistrate, with reference to the actual cost of the legal provision. OBSERVATION.—The privilege here conferred upon the negro, of electing to have a weekly money payment in lieu of his food and clothing, would, from the improvident habits of a great : proportion of the population, be productive of the most injurious consequences, not only to the interests of the master, but the welfare of the negro himself. In those Colonies where a large proportion of the land is exclusively appropriated to the cultivation of corn, plantains, and ground provision (from which public stock the negro is pro vided) much of such provision is of a perishable nature ; and should the negro demand money payment instead of provision in land, the loss of the planter would be inevitable, while at another period he might not be enabled to comply with the choice Or caprice of the negro, should he again demand provision instead of money payment. These observations equally apply to Colonies which import their supplies from other countries. .Objections similar in principle apply to the clothing, which is now regularly furnished from Europe by the master. 8, 9. That every apprenticed labourer be bound to pay a portion, to be fixed, of his wages half yearly to an officer to be appointed by his Majesty. That in default of such payment the master be liable, and in return may exact an equivalent amount of labour without pay ment in the succeeding half year. OBSERVATION.—To make the master liable for the fault of the negro is most extraordinary ; it may be highly inconvenient to the former to make an advance; but suppose he can and does, may he not be deprived by the death, or illness, or absconding of the negro, from getting his equivalent in labour during the following half year ? 10, IL ;That every apprenticed negro, on payment of the price fixed by his master, or such portion of it as may from time to time remain due, be absolutely free: That every such apprentice may borrow the sum so required, and bind himself by contract before a magistrate for a limited period as an apprenticed labourer to the lender. OBSERVATION.—In this way the services of head and indis pensable people, such as bo►lers in the sugar-house and arti ficers of ail descriptions, may at any time be abstracted from the estate ; and that to the suspension for the time of the work when in progress. It may, by means of these clauses, be com petent to any person to effect the utter ruin of the proprietor. 111. That a loan to the amonut of fifteen millions sterling should be granted to the proprietors of the West India estates and slaves, on such security as may be approved by the Com missioners appointed by the Lords Commissioners of his Ma jesty's Treasury. CBSERVATIO.—The sum here proposed is quite inadequate to the value of the rights invaded; but being granted upon loan only, it cannot be considered (whatever its amount) In the light of compensation. Again, the moment that the rights of property are invaded, the compensation, in whatever form it shall be agreed to be given and taken, must be' immediate and peremptory. Besides, an advance of money in the shape of loan may be no accommodation to proprietors of encum bered property, who may not choose to avail themselves of it, because they might not think that they could derive any re turn equivalent to the interest they would be required by Go vernment to pay; yet whose right to compensation—if compen sation be intended—is surely not weakened by the circninstance of declining voluntarily and unnecessarily to become debtors4p the public. The proposed measure, in the compensation it professes to give, as well as in its various details, has been framed without any regard to that class of proprietors whose negroes are unat tached to any estate, comprising . a proportion of at least one sixth of the whole negro population. Neither does it contemplate nor provide for the interests of annuitants, and various other claimants under family settle ments,‘ secured upon negroes only. IV. That such loan be distributed among the different Colo nies in a ratio compounded of the number of slaves and ti.e amount of exports. OBSERVATION.—This clause is founded upon principles upon the fairness and accutacy of which an immediate opinion can not be expressed. V. That the half-yearly payments hereinbefore authorized to be made by the apprenticed negroes be taken in liquidation of scr much of the debt contracted by the planters to the public. See observations of 5 and 6 Head IL VI. and VII. That all children who, at the time of the pass ing of this Act, shall be under the age of (six) years,, shall be free, and shall b e ma int a i ne d b y their respective parents. That on failure of such maintenance they be deemed appren tices to the masters of the parents (without receiving wages) ; the males till the age of twenty-four, the females till the age of twenty; at which periods respectively they and their children, if any, shall be absolutely free. OBSERVATION.—As such allowances as are now made by law to the slave, namely, his house, grounds, &c. are made with reference to the support of his family, the master will; under these clauses, though deprived of all beneficial interest in the child, be still subject to its maintenance; nor, in the present state of negro civilization, : could any greater injury be inflicted on the child than by depriving him of the protection of themas ter, by resigning him wholly to the care and the exclusive con troul of his parents. VIII. and IX. That this Act shall not prevent his Majesty from assenting to such Acts as,may be passed by the Colonikil Legislatures for the promotion of industry, or for the preven tion of vagrancy, applicable to all classes of the community. That upon the recommendation of the Local Legislatures, his Majesty will be prepared to recommend to Parliament to grant, out of the revenues of this country, such aid as may be deemed necessary for the due support of the administration of justice, of an efficient police establishment, and of a general system of religious and moral education. OI3SERVATION.-These clauses admit that the proposed mea sure would require an efficient police; an admissmn'which is still more strongly made by Viscount Goderich in his communi cation with the deputation of this body. It will be observed that this sudden and entire alteration to be effected in the present state of 800,000 negroes, is proposed without the previous establishment of a police deemed essential to secure the industry of the negro population, and the conti nued cultivation of the Colonies, no less than to prserve peace and good order. Moreover, these clauses appear to contemplate the establish ment of a stipendiary magistracy . and police on a most extensive scale ; no data are, however, given on which its extent, .and the expense it will entail, may be estimated, nor is it distinctly explained by whom the cost of it is to be defray e d. If it be intended by the Government that this stipendiary magistracy should regulate the whole internal police of the Co lames, and that the influence which attaches to the possession of property in other countries, ..1 Is SO eSSeollally use ful to the purposes of practical government, should in these possessions be entirely superseded, such a measure must have the effect of fixing an unmerited odium on every proprietor, and consequently appears to be inconsistent with the stability of any society to which it may be applied. In conclusion of this examination the committee add,. "From these short premises, and this brief review, tne' Com mittee cannot; pause fearlessly to assert, that without reference to the infiingei'nent of the constitution granted to the colonists by the supersession of the functions of their own legislathres, the intended measure involves an unparalleled violation of the rights of property—of spoliation of the weaker by the stronger party. chat it is not even calculated to advance the comforts and well-being of the slave—that it endangers the continuance of the Colonies as dependencies of the British Crown, and ut terly destroys the possibility of their productive cultivation— that it will entail severe additional taxation upon the people of these realms, while the resources of revenue will be impaired to a degree that could not be conceived by those who are igno rant that the taxes raised upon Imports of West India produce amount to seven millions, and the exports of British manufac tures to the West Indies to four - millions and a half annually— that 950 ships, having a tonnage of 240,000 tons, are-employed in the direct trade—that British merchants, on the 'seertrity of mortgages guaranteed to them by the national good faith, have lent monies to an immense amount, probably exceeding forty millions, all of which will be lost, and involve them, and all tradesmen dependant upon and connected with them, in bank ruptcy—and that, as at present, the British Colonies supply nearly one-half the total quantity of sugar imported into Eu rope, the destruction of those Colonies will have the direct effect of giving an irresistible impulse to the Slave Trade to supply this dehciency from foreign countries. FUNERAL of CULLEY.—We extract from The Stan&7cl an account of the conduct of the mob who chanced to witness the interment of this unfortunate man, who was murdered in the execution of his duty. Who can read without a shuddei this exhibition of popular feeling, which we should hardly expect from a race of African savages. Let those who have fostered this spirit look to it in time—let them remember the fate of Philippe Eyalite.—"Yesterday afternoon, the body of the mur dered policeman R. Culley, was interred in the burial ground of St. Ann's, Soho. His remains were followed to - the grave by upwards of 200 of the police. When the procession arrived at the church it was met by a crowd of upwards of 300 persons, who behaved in a most unbecoming manner, by expressing their disapprobation of the conduct of the police in the late affray, and that in a loud and discordant manner.—Culley was 27 years of age, and was a fine, stout, muscular man. He had been married about two years. He has left no family, but Eis wife is far advanced in pregnancy.—Mr. May, superintendant of the A division, has already received between £4lO and £5O from various individuals for the relief of Culley's widow. It is expected that government will bestoW upon her a pension. EAST INDIES. A Cape of Good Hope paper of the 13th of March has the following notice of the failure of Mackintosh and Co.,' of Cal cutta, news of which had just reached that place : "This distressing event seems to have been distinctly caused by the failure of another great house a few weeks previously.— 'I he panic created by that occurrence among the native money - lenders was such as could hardly have been foreseen, and which could not possibly occur in any more enlightened community,. where the true mercantile value of money is understood. Under the influence of this panic no voice from heaven—no security which earth can offer, save so much of it as may suffice to bury his gold under his hearth—will satisfy the timorous, the. igno-. rant, and therefore distrustful liiricloo of the safety of his funded wealth. "The run made upon Mackintosh and Co., and the exertions made by the partners to meet demands thus suddenly poured, upon them, are perhaps unprecedented in the history of com merce. We understand their payments amounted to upwards, of £600,000 in the short space of about three weeks, which intei venedbetween Alexander and Co.'s failure and their own. " That a mercantile house, professing to give 8 per cent. for funds intrusted to their management, should at so short a notice be able to disburse so enormous a sum is of itself the highest and most honourable testimony to the talents and prudent ma-. nagement of the partners. Accordingly, we have heard nothing here among mercantile men or others, many themselves suffer-. ers, but a universal expression of sympathetic admiration,. in which lye heartily concur."