The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1825-05-02 00:00:00

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Ithe minds of the Planters against those who favoleited the flleliJf4-
tion of the condition of the slaves. An Hon. rriend of his (Mr.
Wildman, we understood) haring occasion to visit his West India
property, took'vrlth him a sister to Jamaica, and upon his arrival
there endeavoured, in concert with her, as it was natural for a
feeling and philantlimpic mind, to effect some alterations in the
suite of his slaves, and instil into them Some rudiments of religioei
education, and, would the Meeting believe it, Mr. Wildman mar
his sister were assailed with the most mutderout threats far its!
exertions, and actually libelled in the newspapere, in terms toe
gross for him tie read to that assembly • hut if God were hies
strength he Could read et in his place, or else whenever this q men-
tion came to be agitated. The consequence of such proceedings
was, that not only the Editor of the paper, but its reader:, were
hardened against juetice and humanity, and fitted for the per-
petration of any set of cruelty. Tl,e Learned Oeutienian
then ,proceeded to make some strong observations upon the
conduct of the Bishop of Jamaica, who had; as one of bits
first acts, appointed the Reverend Mr. Bridges to be his chap•
lain-the gross libeller of Mr. Wilberforce, and the avowed enemy
of all the abolitionists. (Hear, hear.) Whether the Bishop
had been week enough to allow that person to be throat upon Win.
or wicked enough to Adopt him from choice, he (Dr. Lashing.
ton) for one, begged te' enter his protest against all communication
coming in future from the polluted sourete with reference to the
state of the negro population. They little knew-who could take
any objection to 3lr. Broughtun's proposal of doing the work them-
' selves-..they little knew the Jima of domestic happiness wilds want
' torn asunder by the system itialaverv. ll'e had seen a parallel te
l' the Jamaica papers, when im English peasant weecotnpred,
through all the ramifications of his condition, with a West India
negro, and the balance in every respect, of food, clothing, eodgine,
liberty and labour, drawn largely in favour of the slave ;• but ha
would read them an extract from one of those papers, and then ask,
if in England or in Ireland, as the Learned Gentleman could
answer, there ever ha/ been any thing apprifishing to it in e.teld-
blooded heertleseneee ? " Run away, a feinale slave named Masy
Smith, from she estate of Miss —a.," and then after offering a re.
ward for her apprehension, it goes on to say-". it Is strongly sus-
pected that the said slave is harboured by her husband, Win. Sorith.'•
' If I with here flies to her husband's protection, the laws of God and
mast would justify him in protectuig bey-aye, and give hie the
ability to do it (peat applause); but there, in that favoured cows.
try, thick boasts of die condition of its population, to obey God he
i violates the taw of thedand, and, In receiving the wife of his affec-
tion, subjects himself to stripes and punishment. (Jawed ag
plause.) The 11mm:table and Lesmedlientleman, after lonia
other observations, in which he ridiculed and exposed, in very
'forcible and eloquent language, the asaer:!on that. slavery was not
prohibited in holy wilt, concluded by movinan Resolution recom-
mending the formation of Anti-Slave Associations throughout the
kingdom, to excite and keep alive thp interest necessary for •
unanimous effort to abolish Negro Slavery. . .
Mr. (Molise L L then rose, and was receiv'el with loud cheered
approbation.-The gratifioatiou that I feel in being permitted to
second this Resolution, is mitigated by many painful sensations-
I am called upon to speak unpreparee and unexpectedly, and I ad-
dress you more to show my inconipetence to express my =.ltedie
fur the kind reception you have bone:red me with, than . any
idea of being able, by any effort of mine, to advance the abuse in
which we are engaged.-(Applause.)-But I do hate despotism so
much-I detest slavery so cordially_ abhor cruelty so strongly-.
that I cannot refrain, under any y, and all apprehensions..
frith raising my voice in the cause of 'betty, and joining my rite-
awls to the labour of those who world s:.-Ike off Bons the slays his
chains, and from the Briton his reproach,....(Linseleheers.)--ree :
while I have life, I will strike at despotism; sold evert in the pt..
'genre of the giants of the land, whose mighty usetione mock my
pitiful attempts-even in their presence I will 6.1410 if by es"
piling effort reaches not the dignity of a blow, I will. at !mt. male
an offer cf resistance to the last-(Great Applause)-and with sap
expiring breath leave to my child the legacy wf. a feeernan.-(Ap-
plause.)-1 have to apologise to the .Sleeting, for ths use of ate ward
blow-the exertion was all that was necessary.--(Laughterand Ap-
plause,)-The eloquent discourse of the last speaker has roused w
chord in every bosom which beats responsive to the calls of huma-
nity, and melted every heart which sympathizes with the injured
and oppressed. Oh ! how well has that Gentleman performed his
task. Like that mighty master of lumen mind (Sterne,) who,
when he wished 59 net before his readers the blessings of liberty, did
not indulge, la`.efhtty declamation, or frigid discussion, but took
the captive in hie ~el, and placed him before them-clanking hie
chains - solitary -broken-hearted-rlying with the iron entering
into his soul, and the torpor of despair spreading ever hie body ; to
the Learned and Hon. Gent. did not speak of slavery in its ultras
hey or its impiety, or its cruelty ; but he took, the wile, tom fins
the arms of her protecting husband, and pictured lei you the coo.
they subjected to stripes and the father to chains, for their Whets+
enee to those laws which God and nature had declared inviolable,
and sent to the very utmost bounds of the sea.girt Isle the ere arches
tortured and oppressed. (Great applause.) II ho is it doubts that
they will lend their support to put down a systemso auoeious ?
Who is it doubts that the million of melting hearts who hear that
tale will not so spread the execration of the oppressors, that not
one man in any pine can dare to stand op and avow himself\ the
advoeme of slavery ? But if such will be the effect of that powerful
address, why should I attempt to speak P Because I would point
out the effect which the example of .k;ostlruid must have on the
world in general. It has had that infuencemniversally, and every
page of its history confirms it. Who i& it that imagines there
would be, at the pre.ent moment, one spark of liberty on Continen-
tal Europe, froni the frozen esteem& of Russia to ltm etch aeliabeed-
titr,ll; tirMt rendid power was merging Into &potter°, England
had not struggled for and gained her brim Constitution, giving le
all the earth her glorious example, and showing how 'slay it is tar
a nation to be free it it wills for freedom ? (Great applause.) What
is it but her example that his placed France under ft new Coned..
tution ? What ie it has revolutionized Spain ? Whet ha rep-
' nerated Portugal ? And though fortune may for a time frown apes
their efforts, Oh, believe me, that many a gallant heart now gkins
with the hope that they may yet be able to follow that example,
and perchance with the assistance of England--surely with lest
countenance-triumph at last over their oppressors. And as yen
rivals
have set the example in fostering liberty, so you may have
in its preservation. (Applause.) Treat example has passed the
Atlantic, and expanded itself over America, for even among the
echoes of the Andes the voice of slavery is now heard no
more. And here may I be permitted to instance Bolivar-the
Immortal Bolivar ? I think I may do so with safety in this
place. It might be dangerous elsewhere, although I have no
intention to make any improper use of that liberty. I call
God to witness I never had. ((heat applause.) But I love to
dwell upon the name of that illustrious hero, uniting in himsel.
every thing magnanimous in ancient times, or heroic in modern.
What was the first set of his newly-acquired power ? The lasers.
ti'm of his own neeroes., What wan his first address to the meas.
bled Senators of his Government ? I beg as fervently of my CeblOm
toy as I would for the lives of my children, that you; will never COw
sent clime, or creed, or colour, should make any distinction in yet
republic. (Cheers.) And what has been the fate of such exalted
virtue ? Why, while man joins in the universal sound of praise,
' Providence has smiled vino his exertions, and victory, wherever he
went, has followed his standard. Oh ! gl..i.ious Bolivar--greause
then Washington-greater than Kosciusko, even had he been sae.
cessful, how can I find language to 'leak Of that patriotism which
would retreat from the enjoyments of power, the moment even the
shadow of liberty might be endangered by your presence. But the
example must go farther even than Amelia,. Who is it can be ise
absutd as to think that when the negro sees warriors and statesman"
of his own race, he will not makes desperate exertion for freedom ?
Cen any man say, that when that time comes in which he 'allure
the poet and the hero of the same east and colour, slavery can exist
4inoment longer ? It was utterly impossible, and, instead of being
called cruel to the masters, a charge the more to be valued as it
comes from unpolluted lips, we should excite gratitude and praise for
our attention to their interests; when we beseech them to grant that
gradual emancipation which would procure them the permanent
enjoyment of their present property. I awns row to America, the
boasted land of freedom, and there I hear the slavery which they
not only tolerate, but encourage, justified and defended, as a legate,
left them by us. It Is but too true. Bin I would say to them-yow
shook off the allegiance you owed us, because you thought we were
oppressing you with die Stamp Act. You boasted of your deli..
remote from slavery-you relieved yourselves from your bondage:
on what grounds do you still exercise a despotic power over year
fellow-men, and make slavery even more bitter, by ringing in the
ears of the sufferers from your tyranny-what you have gained_.
whist you have done--what you have suffered for freedom ? They
may retaliate upon us-they may reply by allusions to the /averted
we have created or encouraged ; but what would be said of that in-
dividual who would justify the crime of shcepstealing by alleging
that another stole sheep too? Would such a defence be listened to
Oh, no ; and I will say unto you, Freemen of America--and the
press will convey it to you almost as quick as the wind-that God
understands you-that you are hypocrites-tyrants and unjust men
-that you are degraded and dishonoured--and I say, dare not le
stand up boasting of your freedom or your privileges, while you cm-
tinue the cruelties of slavery, and treat souls redeemed by the
same blood as the mere creatures of pout will-for as long as you
do so, there is a blot upon your escutcheon that all the waters of
the Atlantic cannot wash out. (Great applause.) I have thus un-
connectedly thrown together whatever just floated on the sur-
face of nip mind-for I came only as an auditor, although
you have turned nie into an actor. I would, however, much
rather you would chirp my intellect with weakness than my
heart with Ingtwitude. I came, it is true, impressed, but when I
was asked to lend my feeble efforts to the promotion of the objects
of the meeting, )cow could I refuse when I saw the cause of
freedom advocated and supported by one of that illustrious family
whom your ancestors brought wisely and prudently to maintain
your liberties and uphold your rights t a support which for ceunt-
lees ages I pray they may continue to aftbrd you ? (Great cheering.)
I was pressed forward too by another consideration : I felt that 1
wan myself a slave. The chain, it is true, binds me not, but 1
feel its galling. The lash of the whip does not lacerate my body,
but its sound rings in my eux,and I stand in my native land fallow
and degraded. (Great applause, with one or two feeble hisses.)
I hope no person will mistake me so far es to suppose I meant to
t be
excite any unpleasant feeling, or any political reflection t I alluded
only to your kindness to myself, a person degraded in the eyes of
more ni an
hem the
t i who were exhibiting their ardent love of liberty. It seems Idme,
me, when I listen to the weal of the negro, that 1 hear the Melt
'tow!, sod I feel my sympaylies powerfully affected-for I calf.
who crime in some dialect I cannot repeat, " Long hie
Emperor." Wherever nature has !riven life I would give pow '
17::: t
ofco the colour u(:enmway. t
o tirsi ttho,turec tsihdetrh.ehsaduffeeorefr, that whether
don. I do not quarrel with the political institution!' alikh •
are justly and 'weir intended for the support of
and the protection of proverty ; but man was bud
and whatever may be his creed. or his colour, he bas l •
to the administration of the laws, flat °laces of le
ari