The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1826-10-27 00:00:00

)IR. VAN ',MICKEL IN REPLY.

Before I enter on the ntomentrius subject which now occupies
the attention of the Court, I deem it necessary distincly to state,
that I have not had the least communication of any kind with any
one member of this Court, on the subject of this most important
clause. I feel myself called upon to say so, on account of the new
turn which Mr. President Tray's proposition, entered on the
minutes of the 3d July last, is intended to give to the subject, and
which is so widely different from that unanimity which hes hitherto
marked all the deliberations of this Court on the subject of the
Slave Code. Under Oise ercumstatices, I think that every mem-
ber is called upon to give distiuetly his own vote, in a censcientiLus
manner, without any bias from the suggestions of any one, tending
rto prejudge the qucs ion. I have been the more induced.to ah-
stain from all communication with my colleagues, because, should
any demerit be attached to any part of my observations, I wish the
responsibility to rest solely wi:h myself, without involving others
in any there of it, kr having, perhaps, too confidently listened to
what, in the exercise of my judgment, I consider as the fair way to
come to an honest opinion.
I deem it most conducive to a caTin inquiry; anti outset, . to set
at rest an observation made by his Honour in the introductory Fart
of his proposition, prescribing the line of conabct which, as he
thinks, the Court generally, and the Colonial Members more par-
ticularly, ought to follow. "If," says hc, " the.court mull con-
tinues to consider the manumit:ion clops: as one whklitiould be in-
jurious to the in:crest of the Colonists, he nevertheless thought it
most prudent to adopt it, will. such c:decks and tnoilipattons as
the Court's arpericure would sogg,n.." It isnot.for me to antici-
pate in what manner the Court sill be able to eserciee its prudence
in givlcg its sanction to a principle or measure which it maiden
as injurious to the interest* of the Colonists. I am better able to
judge '

of the propriety of following the admonition given by his
Honour to the Colonial Members, when he tells them, that "I/icy
rein be best discharging their dray to their coneti:ments, even
when acting against their own opinions, by ad:)pliner Me print-irks
of the compulsory ntanntnirriou dower, bnt qualifying as far as
poseitk those pcints which they conceive to be dangerous to their
property." The selection thus made of Colonial Members, in con-
tradistinetion to Official Members, has en invidious appearance, PS
those who cannot be minutely acquainted wit% the facts might
thence conclude that the rejection of the Compulsory Manumission
Clause has been chiefly, if not solely, owing to the opposition made
by the Colonist Members against the opinions of the Official
:Members, whilst the truth is. that this clause has been twice re-
jected by the unanimous rote of all the Members ; and what is
more, that the resolution of the 6th September, 1825, was entirely
framed by Mr. President Wray, in whose handrwiting the draft of
it was handed to Mr. Secretar► Wilday, and by Mai copied iu the
minutes.
I will not dwell en the singular attempt of one Member of the
Court dictating to the others in what manned they should give their
votes, even before the matter is well understood, and before it has
undergone any discuuion; but I am free to say, that I cannot recon-
cile to any fair principle the advice given to the Colonial Members
to adopt any measure, " etgas If by ro doing they acted against
their can opinion. I, for one, declare, that acting under the
obligation of an oath pitifully to perform, to the hest of 0--
;
knowledge, the deny of a Member re this Comet for the I-