The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1826-04-20 00:00:00

COLONIAL POLICY.

We extract the following from a well-reasoned and ably-
! written pamphlet, entitled, " THE WEST INDIA LEGIS-
I.ATCRES VINDICATED from the charge of having resisted
the call of the Afother-Country for the —ELioit•TioN or
SLATERS,. By. Alexander M'Donnell, E'q."
s' An opinion has gone abroad, that, from Oovemment having
taken the question out °rifle hands of the abolitioniass, the coloniel
party are possessed of sufficient influence to control the measures of
the Administration. This notion has been enlarged utadi by Mr.
Stephen in the last °finis pamphlets; and the community are again
and again exhorted to raise their voice to countered what is de-
scribed as the pernicious influence of interested individuals. No
person can mingle in society without being sensible how strongly
this feeling his acted in raising an outcry against AVed India pro,
prietors. I;nglislinien are hostile to the exercise of undue power in
any shape; the idea of its existence goes boniest once to their pas.
sions, requiring no fonhrr argument to enlist them against those
who appear to have engrossed it. The observations already thrown
out. show how totally inapplicable is aurh an imputation in the
present instance. So far from the West India party 'masking of
influence. I do unhesitatingly affirm that the Nattily of this noun.
try affords no parallel instance of men, possessed of equal property,
having so weak a hold on the State, and being so mercilessly run
down by the force of unjust accusations and rancorous calumny.
To speak nothing of their misfortunes in owning properties connected
with a term which, like that of slave, ffirestals investigatitm, and
marshals every feeling against them ; of the difficulty there is cf
making men perceive, however obvious the Met, that It is one thing
to denounce a bad system, and quite another to devise means for
its abolition; together with the injurious delay which must take
place before charges of cruelty, however groundless, can be con-
futed : to say nothing of these disadvantages, it may be moat
truly said, on the other hand, that they neither possess those
numbers, nor that intrinsic weight in the Senate, that could
for a moment promise them the preponderance in any. great ques-
tion of national policy. Let any person investigate the proceedings
of Parliament, and he will at once be sensible how insidious has
been the appeal to the people to exert themselves to overcome West
India influence. Detached, disunited, acting without concert, it
is notorious that every other party in the senate has expressed sue.
prise at the Inexplicable conduct of West India Members, and
wondered at their passiveness, when inroads the moat fatal were
making on their properties, entitled as they are on every principle
of justice to receive protection. If the weak ought to be assisted
against the strong; if Englishmen haves constitutional hatred of
undue power in the direction of their councils, and wish to give
protection, where, from weakness on one aide. protection is re.
quired—it is not more than the plain truth to assert, that it is the
West India party who claim the aid of the intelligent portion sat
the community. It is the force of public opinion which at the pre-
sent moment governs the nation. As, then, it is apparent that the
people at large will always exclaim against slavery in the gross,
without any attempt at analysis', it is the bounden duty of the
better informed to interfere, to examines little closer into the cir.
cuinstances or the ease; and to enneavour to protect the sawed
rights of property.on behalf of their tellow-subJects, lest a prece-
dent may arise, of which the destruction of their own may be the
ultimate coaseirence."
• • • • •

" With all reasonable men, it is true, the principle of national
protection to the slave proprietor has been unequivocally admitted ;
but as there still prevail doubts and open dread that the broadest
claims of jrcice may be stifled in the existing clamour, it is pro-
per to weigh* fully and impartially the reasons which hays mainly
tended to produce a spirit of opposition in those who direct colo-
nial legislation. Inseparable trona the feeling excited by those
contemptuous insinuations which members of the British Petite-
merit have permitted themselves to throw out against public char-
ters granted to the Colonies by the British crown, must be the ap-
prehension that, where privileges lung in possession are thus openly
violated, the spoliation of individual earnings will speedily suc-
ceed.

" Another circumstance which has heightened the hostile feeling
in the Colonists, is the belief that the entire substance of the pro-
ceedings against them is the personal affisir of Mr. Wli.ase-
FORCE, Mr. BUXTON, and the party which they head. When
they have heard of the artifices employed to get up and multiply
petitions to Parliament ; when the internsl evidence of these peti.
stone, e xhiblting the same style, the same sentiments, the same
phraseology, proves them to be the wholesale manufacture of a
well-organized association; when It is known that itinerant speech-
makers are employed in journeying from parish to parish through.
out the British empire, to catch the notice, to inflame the feelings.
and to abuse the credulity of persons, not ill. intentioned, but ill-
informed ; of persons rendered highly suitable to the purpose of
such partisans by their novelty, and their thirst after the import-
ance of having something to do which borders on popularity ; the
Colonists can never recognise, in such a spurious appeal, the legi-
timate voice of the country ; nor can they hold themselves bound
to regulate their conduct by its bigoted demands.
Justifiably viewing these men as their determined enemies, dig.
ingenuous as they are in their accusations, and unrestrained by
prudence in their projects, the West Indians trurally resist
everything emanating from such a party, as designed to ensnare
them into difficulties and mischief."
• • • • •

" No circumstance more strikingly deserves attention than the
well-attested fact, that the intemperate discussions in this country
inspired the negroes with the belief that their unqualified freedom
Ind been decreed.

" It was stated by Mr. BROUGHAM Arid by Dr. Lunn NGTOX,
in the House of Commons, that the revolt of the slaves proceeded
from the refusal to carry the new regulations into execution. Per-
haps the whole controversy dowse not exhibit an asserion more at
variance with fact. In all the trials of the conspirators, and in every
instance in which it was possible to ascertain thcirsentiments, either
from white persons who were confronted with them in the moment
of their rising, or from the evidence of the slaves themselves, it was
evident that one conclusive idea, that of exemption front labour,
possessed their minds. Not a solitary word was urged in regard to
an altered system of coercion,. admissibility as witnesses, or the
power to purchase their own manumission, which were the points of
chief importance in the plans of amelioratiov contemplated by Go-
vernment. Objects of far greater importance in their eyes were ex-
pected, and it was essential that this fatal delusion should be en-
tirely dispelled before sober and rational plans of amendment could
be properly appreciated.
" The first step was to show the negroes that no gond could be
obtained by violence, mid to allow some little time to crake ma-
nifest the gross error, that the mother cotintry had decreed
their liberty. Let such considerations be sufficiently weipited,
and I think it will be acknowledged that the Colonial
Legislatures have had exceedingly little time to study the wishes
of the parent state with temperate deliberation. In addition to
their own apprehensious of injury to property, we hare to consider
the state of negro excitement, and to judge whether a period of
disturbance, or one of peace, be the must advisable for making in-
novations.

" When it incontestibly appeared, from the proceedings on the
trials of those implicated in the revolt, that to Mr. Wilberforee's
party In England were to be attributed all the losses and mischief
incurred, It would be supposing the Colonists devoid of the or-
dinary passions of men, if they did not express the strongest indig.
nation stanch pernicious interference. In conjunction, theretore,
with the knowledge possessed by the Colonists, that with this
party originate all the calumnies under which they labour in Eng-
land, are to be taken the fruits of that conduct produced in the
Colonies, beirg uo other than a direct destruction of properly.
By ibis plain fact, the community must see the danger of allowing
themselves to be guided, on a popular theme, by mere declama-
tory s-ateroents."

NORTH WEST LONDON AUXILIARY BIBLE

SOCIETY.

Yesterday the 13th Annual Meeting of this Society, was held at
the Argyle Rooms, Regent-street. Sir T. BARING, Bart. 31. P. in
the Chair.

The CHAIR HAN said, before they should proceed w business, he
would trespass on the meeting fora few moments, in directing their
attention to the great and important objects which were contem-
plated by the Society. What he was going to state might appear
exaggeration, yet it was not so, but it was the tact, and a very im-
portant one, that there at present existed, of Parent and Auxiliary
Bible Societies, upwards of 3000, and that they have circulated
five millions of Bibles, and translated it into 140 thflirent lan-
guages; and if they would but reflect furs few moments on the
very short period since the first establishment of a Bible Society,
it would be a matter of surprise the great success which has at-
tended it, being only twenty-two years since its first formation.
The Report was then read, which stated at considerable length
the exertions of the Committee, and concluded by stating, that the
Society had circulated 13,416 Bibles, and that they derived con-
sidemhle assistance front the Ladies' Society, from which they re-
ceived, in aid of the funds of the Society, a sum of 1311/. I Is., but
they still had to express their regret at the low state of their fonds;
in low were they, that they were only enabled to send 601. to the
Parent Society, and warmly appealed to the meeting in supportof
the funds of the Society. The Report was ordered to be teceived
and printed.
The fourth Resolution, of thanks to the Ladies, was proposed by
the Rev. 1)r. Waugh, in a speech of considerable length, in which
he took occasion to pass a high panegyric on the female character.
lie observed, that they were the fairest part of the creation, and
though their bearded lords of the present day usurped a superiority
of intellect, yet such superiority they did not possess. It as there
in this world an object more to be admired than a lovely woman—
(a laugh)—with a soul inspired by Christianity ? And he would
appeal to the Meeting, could there be any thing so influential in
the cause of charity as an appeal made from the lips of a lovely
woman ?—(great laughter from the ladies)—and he trusted that the
beautiful assemblage now before him—(continued laughter)—would
give the objects of this Society the powerful and irresistible force of
their persuasive eloquence over those who were blessed by the rela-
tive connexion of husbands, or aspirants to that sacred and enviable
character—(much laughter). Ile concluded by making a strong
appeal to the liberality of the Meeting, in aid of the funds of the
Inatitution. _ _

The Resolution wax seconded by the Rev. Mr. Smart.
Thank• were then voted to the Chairman, and the Meeting
broke up.

ECI.IPSE or ?NE &x.—There will be an annular
eclipse of the sun, visible in England, on the 13th of Ala;•,
1526, about three o'clock in the afternoon. There will be
another annular eclipse on the 9th of October, 1527 : it
will be annular in all parts of England of which the lati-
tude does not exceed 31.