The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1824-01-30 00:00:00

JAMAICA PAPERS.

Jamaica Papers were received yesterday to the 9th ult.
The 6,tzette of the '?9th Noventb:T contains a resolution
of the Assembly, rejecting the petition of persona of colour
being put upon a footing of equality with the whites, in
respect of voting. Ire extract the following correspondence
between Commodore Sir E. Owen and the Mayor of Kings-
ton, from the same paper:—
" Serapis, Port Royal Harbour, Jamaica, Nov. 23, 1823.
" Sir,—ln reply to a request 1 hare received from several mer-
chants that I will appoitst a convoy on the Ist of lleextruber next for
rimmeachy, I have the honour to acquaint you, for the informa-
tion of those concerned, that (shall be able to provide a convoy for
t!'e above place by the 3d of next month.
" 1 remain, Sir,
" Your moat obedient and humble Servant,
" E. W. C. K. OWEN. Commodore.
" To the lion. the Mayor of Kingston."
-The ibliewhig cormenvitiiiiseirai received this day by his Ito.
nour the Mayor, from the Unewdsodure :
" Serapis, Nov. 28, 1923.
6' Sir—lt having been stated t, me, by certain merchants of this
place, that it would afford important accommodation to the mer-
cantile interest if the Niemen, 26, was ',emitted to call at the Ha-
vanna!' and New York, with a view of aflimling those having
funds at the former place an opportunity of transmitting ahem
the latter, where at present greater fictlities exist fur making re-
mittances to the Mother country—
,' I have the honour to acquaint you, for the information of the
parties interested, that having already consented to postpone the
sailing of the Niemen until the al DeceininT, I do not think it
would be right to cause more delay, unless for some specific object,
whose importance may
it justify the inconvenience which would pro-
bably be suffered frontfrontby the public service.

" I hare the liormur to be, Sir,
" Your mom obedient humble Servant,
" r' 11, C. It. OIVEN, Commodore."

__.....
" To the lion. the Mayor of Kingston."
Another journal says—" It will be recollected that the free per
-
eons of colour lately presented a petition to the lfouseofAssembly,
coinplaining of the restrictions under which they laboured, and
claiming a greater participation in the rights of their white fellow.
citizens than they had hitherto enjoyed. The moment selected CHI
making such an application was certainly not the most propitious ;
and from the spirit which the Assembly hail displayed in its first
sittings, we anticipated nothing less than the total rejectinn of the
petition. A wiser course, however, has been pursued. The de-
mands tending to the acquisition of political power have alone been
rejected ; those claiming the reword of inconvenient restrictions
have been admitted, anti a bill hart been ordered to be brought in
for the purpose of giving them effect. Amongst the privileges
which it secures to the free persons of colour, will be that of being
received as witnesses in all cases, without being compelled to pro-
duce, as heretofore, certilicawi of licedmil and baptism. As this
was one of the objects to which the petitioners seemed to attach
most importance, there is no doubt that the compliance of the Aa.
sembly will produce the effect for which it is intended—that is to
say, in the words of the Resolutions—will tend " to promote good
order, and to encourage habits of itniustry, a contented diapositien,
and a cheerful obedience to the laws, anions people of free condi-
tion." It is only to be lamented that the Assembly should not
evince se much temper and good sense in its transactions with the
Mother Country, as in its &taints with the frcit black population."