The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1824-04-16 00:00:00

BY HIS MAJESTY'S LETTERS PATENT.

THE NIGHT or DAY
LAMP, producing Permanent Light by Touching •
String.
This Invention combines utility, economy, durability, and safe-
ty: it is equally adapted to the drawing-room, the library, the
chamber of the invalid, and the office of the man of business, and
is expected to supersede everything of the kind now in use.
When required for the night, the Lamp may be placed in any
part of the room, and the string attached to the bed, by merely
pulling which light is produced. In the day it may be used for
sealing letters, &c. without the string.
To the Army and NO'S, the Law and the Faculty. the Student
at the University and in Chambers, to Merchants and Bankers, to
Public (M6ces and Private Families, for every Bedroom, to (fay-
tains of Ships .and Travellers in General, and for the Insides of
Carriages, it is particularly recommended ; and to the Lovers of
Novelty and the Curious in Science, it may form an acceptable
present.
- - - - -

If allowed to bum, the Lamp will yield a steady light for 18 or
20 hours without trimming. It is so portable, that it may be
carried in the pocket; so simple, that a child may use it ; and so
cleanly, that it may be packed with the finest linen immediately
after use. _

By shutting the box, the works are so nicely fitted, that nothing
can escape in whatever position it may be placed. As a pyort of
this, it has been sent, when fully trimmed, and charged with oil,
acid, sad matches, from London to Edinburgh, by the mail-coach.
as a loose parcel, and arrived in perfect security.
Sold by appointment by Mellows. Savory, Moore, and*Davidson,
136, Bond.street ; Mr. Donald, St. Paul's Church-yard; Mr.
Langston, 94, Chespside ; Mr. Sanger, IMO, 4/xl°rd-street; Mr.
Cobbe, 31, Regent-street; Messrs. lye and Burbidge, 130, Fleet-
Street ; Mr. Gifford, 104, Strand; hlr. Hudson, 27, Ilayroarket ;
Mr. Complin, 41, Bishopsgate-street Within ; and Mr. Mackrill,
11'hitschapel.

IMPOSTURE UNMASKED.

THE Progiss frequently assailed,
is not impeded by Envy and Detraction. The aggression
of ambuscade terminates in defeat; and conscious rectitude ulti-
mately triumphs in the attainment of the grand object—public
approbation. The test of experience is the guarantee of favour,
and has established WARREN'S BLACKING in general esti-
mation ; of which there exists not a stronger proof, than the tacit
acknowledgment of a host of servile imitators, who surreptitiously
obtrude on the unwary a spurious preparation as the genuine ar-
ticle, to the great disappointment of the unguarded purchaser, and
manifest injury of Warren, whose character and interest, by this
iniquitous system, are equally subject to detriment. It becomes,
therefore, an indispensable duty, to caution the public against the
manoeuvres of unprincipled venders, who having no character to
lose, and stimulated by avarice in their nefarious pursuits, aim to
the acquisition of money through any medium but that of honour.
The original and matchless Blacking bears no each bottle a short
direction, with the signature " ROBERT WARREN:" all
others are counterfeits; and in many instances the imposition labels
are artfully interlined with a different address. in very small cha-
racters, between the more conspicuous ones of " No. 30," and
" STRAND." It is earnestly recommended to shopkeepers and
others, who are deceived by base fabrication, of ll'arren's Black.
ing, to return the detected trash to the source from whence it came
and expose the machinations of rascality to merited obloquy.
Warren's Blacking is surpassingly brilliant; it excludes damp,
gives pliancy to the leather, retains its pristine virtue in all cli-
mates, and, combining elegance with comfort, is an article equally
of indispensable fashion end utility.
Sold by every respectable Vender in town and country, in bot-
tles, at lid., lOd., 12d., and 18d. each.

Fran the Report laid before Parliament, we make the
&Bowie( abridgement of Mr. Smith's defence. The
charges against the Niissionary, as our readers know, were
for exciting the late revolt of the Negroes at Demerara, and
for harbouring and encouraging the rebels. We pass over
the evidence to support the charges, the material parts of
which being sat out in the defence:—

MR. SMITH'S DEFENCE.
FOURTZENTII DAT, SATURDAY, IST Novzmatrt.
The Court met pursuant to adjournment, and the prisoner read
bis statement in defence as follows:

May it please the Couri :ii;.
President and Gentlernen,—Be-
fore I enter upon the immediate defence of my conduct from the
charges which have been preferred against me, I beg leave to call
the attention of the Court to a few preliminary observations. The
Court is well aware that by profession I am a minister of the
Gospel, ordained and sanctioned by the Missionary Society; a most
respectable body of men, well known to and sanctioned by the
Government at home, whose sole object is of a religious nature,
the conversion of the heathen and other unenlightened nations to
the Christian faith. With the civil or political state of those coun-
tries where its missionaries labour, it has nothing to do. Under
the patronage of this Society I chose to engage in the diffiouk and
self-denying work of instructing the benighted natives in the prin-
ciples of our holy religion. With this avowed intention I arrived
here in February, 1817 ; and having obtained permission of his
Excellency the Governor to preach to and catechise the slaves, I
commenced my labour: with a full determination to keep to the
letter of my instructions from the Society, in having nothing to do
with the temporal condition of those who might be placed undue
my ministerial care. To this determination I uniformly adhered.
So much was I impressed with the necessity of acting up to this
resolution, that soon after my arrival I requested permission to
remove the chapel to the side of the public road, that I might be
farther from the negroes, and know less of what was transacted on
the estate. The object of my mission, like that of my predecessor,
was very differently regarded by the planters ; some of them, from
the time of my arrival and long before, were strongly prejudiced
against the instruction of the negroes, and have uniformly opposed
it ; but with others this if as not the case. They allowed their
people to attend the chapel, and observed, and from time to time
commended, their general behaviour, and have repeatedly given
proof of their approbation of the mission, not only by words, but
also by deeds, by contributing to the Missionary Society.
The manner in which I have puesued the object of my mission
deserves sonic notice. Having learned what kind of services had
been performed by Mr. Wray, my predecessor, I endeavoured to '
adopt and follow his plan.
There were five services in the week in the chapel; three 00 the
Sunday, one on Tuesday, and another on Friday : the negroes be-
longing to the estate were catechised on other evenings, in the
school-room attached to the house.

After about twelve months I discontinued the Sunday evenings
service ; all the others were regularly continued till the end of last
year, when I gave up one of the week-day evening services. Since
then we have had three public services in the week, and a cateehe-
tical meeting, or school, on one evening in the week. A great
part of the interval between the morning and the noon services on
the sabbath was occupied jo catechising the negroes in the chapel.
This department was superintended chiefly by Mrs. Smith. White
persons were often present. I was generally engaged at the same
time in the school-room, catechising candidates for baptism.
All these services were of a public nature • we had no private
meetings ; the plantation bell was rung to ;all the people ; the
doors were always open, and the place accessible to aIL The con-
stitution of the church was formed by Mr. Wray, and was what it
usually called congregational. There were four deacons ; their du-
ties were to assist in the admihistration of the Lord's Supper, by
handing the bread and wine to the members, to keep order in the
congregation, to make inquiry into the moral conduct of such as
applied for baptism, or admission into the church, and to collect
the money spoken of in the evidence for the prosecution. They
were not teachers by virtue of their office, nor did they, as such,
even teach any one to my knowledge. Seaton was indeed the
teacher at Success, but he was that long previous to his acting
as deacon. In point of authority, they were in no respect superior
to any other member.
As to the teachers, they were whoUy unconnected with the church.
The people themselves chose them on their respective estates, with-
out my interference.
Their chief qualifications was a knowledge of the catechism.
I would now submit to the courts few observations respecting the
journal, from which some extracts were read by the Judge Advs.
cate. The Missionary Society wished me to keep a journal. On my
arrival I commenced one, but soon found that there was too little va-
riety in my labours, to render it a matter of consideration to the
Society i yet 1 continued it merely for my own private use, as must
be pretty evident, from the careless and irregular manner in which
it has been kept, and from the nature of several of the notes and
reflections therein contained ; one or two extracts only have been
given to the Society, which merely referred to the mord or spiritual
state of the congregation.
No other part of the journal was ever read by or to any one be-
sides myself, till it was taken from me. The contents of it
were unknown, even to Mrs. Smith, and the greater part I myself
had forgotten.
The notes in my journal relate chiefly to my ministerial labours
among the congregation over which I was placed. Facts, and what
were reported to me as such, are briefly stated, and such reflections
sometimes subjoined as naturally arose nut of them. Some parts
refer to conversations with negroes, and are brought forward by
I the Judge Advocate to prove that I have intafedd with their
treatment.

As to conversations with negroes, the Christians in particular,
from the very nature of my office, it was both natural and necessary
that I should constr.e with them to a certain extent. No mis-
sionary, or other minister of the gospel, can properly di his
sacred functions without having stone other intercoursesch:rilg his
people besides that of public teaching. He has to watch tor the
souls of every individual of his charge, see Leek. c. 13. v. 7 and IL
He is commanded to be instant in season and out of season.' If
any of his flock go astray it is his duty to seek after them ; he broil
know the cause of their declensions in religion ere he can rebuke
and exhort them ; and as I could not have access to them an the
plantations, though enjoined by the instructions of the Society,
which his Excellency has seen and read, to visit them in their
houses, It was necessary that I should either make inquiry of
others concerning such, or send for them to come themsefres with
another member. The latter mode I always preferred, when prac-
ticable. In all such conversations, I have abstained from making
any remarks respecting their masters; and have uniformly ex-
horted them to a dutiful submission, as some of the witnesses for
the prosecution have proved, and multitudes of the osessrezation
can testify.
This brings me to the charges which are exhibited against me; they
are four. The first is--That long previous to, and up to, the time
of a certain revolt and rebellion which broke out in this colony on
or about the 18th of August last past, I did promote, es far no In

MoirMite lay, discontent arid dissatisfaction in the Mods of tb=
slaves towards their lawful masters, inanagers, and ow
thereby intending to excite the said. negroes to break out In mein.
open revolt and rebellion stalest the authority of their lawful:
masters, managers, and overseer% cetatrary to my allegiance, sod
against the peace alone Sovereign Z.nrd the King, his crown red
dignity. The second is—" That I having, about the 17th day ed
August last, and on divers other days and times theretofore pre-
eetenl, advised, consulted, sad correetended with a eeresin n
caned egl
ins, touching end contorting a certain intended t
and rebellion of co
the negro slaves within these colonies of Demerara
and Essequibo; and further, after such revolt and rebelliorrfilif
actually commenced, and was in a course of prosecation. he, the
said John Smith, did farther aid and assist in such rebellion, by
advising, consulting, and corresponding, toothing the same, with
the said negro Quentin', to wit, on the 19th end 20th August last
put, I then well knowing such revolt and rebellion to be in pro-
gress, and the said negro Quemica to be an insurgent engaged
therein."
The third is, " That on the 17th of August last past, and for a
certain period of time thereto preceding, I having tome to ties
knowledge of a certain revolt and rebellion Intended to take place
within this colony, did not make known the same to the proper
authorities ; which revolt and vebellion did subsequently take plat,:,
to wit, on or about the 10th of August now last past."
Fourthly, " That I, after such revolt and rebellion had taken
place, and during the existence thereof, to wit. on or about Tess-
day and Wednesday, the 19th and 20th August last past, was at
plantation i.e Resouvenir, in presence of and held cornmunicaties.
with Quamina, a negro of plantation Success, I then well know.
ing the said Quamioa to be an insurgent engaged therein, and
that 1 did not use my utmost endeavours to 'oppress the same, by
securing or detaining the said insurgent Quaff:masa a prisons% or
by giving information to the proper authorities, or otherwieupbut
on the contrary, permitted the said ineurgea (lumina to g• at
large and depart without attempting to seise and detain him, 'nod
without giving any information respecting hint to the pen er autho-
rities, against the poses of our Sovereign Lord tags • Ohs
mum eieLdippthy ominge,embe authel
in defiance of the Proclamation of martial law, issued b hilt Itteol ,
lent,. the Lieutenant-Governor."
The prosecutor, in his address to the Court, eitherit'd upon then,
charges, and endeavoured to impress upon the r' a belief dia.
cei
my conduct had been more guilty, my ohen us and mot.:
heinous. than eve, these cherges represent t'teni to lam aware,
at least I truss so, that the prosecutor is bound to eresuLtly to
the charges, of which a copy has been regularly served epee ut:-,
and with this trust I should have rested minified, had not the pro-
secutor endeavoured to prove his own version of the charges, there-
by attempting to draw down upon my character infamy and oppra•
bum ; as It is, he has completely failed to make. good his asser-
tions i
and I shall therefore but briefly notice them n the course u:
my dufeace.
I shall now take the-charges in the order they stsad.
To make good the first, the prosecutor I:as e:Aleavoured to prsve,
let. That I have an aversion to slavery.
2d. That I have endeavoured to mislead the ncgroes, by misin-
terpreting and perverting the Scriptures.
3d. That I have taken money and presents front the negroes.
Ith. That I have sold them books.
6th. That I have interferes. with their treatment.
6th. That I have taught them to disobey their masters.
7th. That I have taught them that it was sinful to worker, go to
market on the Sabbath day.
And first—That I have an aversion to slavery;
That I have an eversion to slarery I cannot deny ; for if it he s
crime to cherish such an aversion, then I have as my associates tit
guilt the most liberal and best part of mankind. After the recent
recognition by the House of Commons and the British Govern-
ment, of the proposition that "skyey is repo.t,ment to Chris-
tianity," it cannot be neetshaly for me. a Minister of the Duper.
to enter into any justification at my sentiments on this 'intim-4
Secondly.—That I have endeavoured to mislead the Degrees, by
misinterpreting and perverting the Scriptures.
To prove this, my journal, that journal which hes been dragged
forth from the privacy in which it was buried, has bun produced,
and several passages read from it. 'Witnesses have been called.
and what have they all proved ? the very opposite thing to that de-
sired by my prosecutors. It has been objected to me that I ex-
pounded those parts cif the sacred Scriptures which allude to the
condition of slaves.

histipmerepliet mwuitseh beknortalanwiedgelleredand'utnhdatersittaisndeining.lnift'erw'esa 6tnhteYbtooasftetdot.
' the apostle Paul, that "lie had not shunned to declare ell the coun-
sel of God," Acts, e. ix. v. 27. Didactic diocesan.; alone ore not
sufficient tomlarge the minds of the negro amgregadon. The
biographical sketches and the Watt:meal incidents recorded in the.
Bible, are far better adapted to their capacities, as the tiding
examples of virtue end of via powerfully impress the
and furnish reflectioes and motives La ditty fax more ; • •
mere abstract lessons. ' • sl".
With this view of the subject, I commenced, about the 5_
1820, a regular course of historical reading and expositions, its. ..".
the Old Testament for the morning service, and the New Tes
for the evening. I began in the Old Testament with Genes
.
in the New Testament with the Gospel of St. Matthew.'.
Old Testament I read in order, with the omission of swot
chapters as appeared to me liable to be miabitetreted by the
negroes. The passage which has been read from the yoornal, under
date " Bth Aug. 11117," says, that I omitted to mud or expound
to the negroes a passage of scriptoie (latter part Genesis x .ii. ' .
which I apprehended they might nuaconatrue. It contains a ro-
mise of the lead of Canaan to Abraham's posterity. The jouriod
adds the mason why I omitted the passage; viz. that I was reset's: i
it might make a wrong impression oo their minds, as I tell then.
some of the promiees, &c. which were made to Abraham, &c. aid
apply to the Christian state. This moves that I wee very cautious
nat to apply to the negroes those parts of Scripture which mire 'to
temporal possessions, and were peculiar to the patriarchs, That
wine of the promises and precepts made to them apply to the
Christian state, is evident from the New Testament I compare
Romans c. iv. v. V, to the end. The Apostle, speaking of A bra-
ham's faith being imputed to him for righteousness, says, " now
it was not written far his sake alone, that it was imputed to him,
but for us also," &c.
Great stress has been laid on my reading of the deliverance eft' ti
Israelites from Egypt. Had that part of holy writ been toilette.:
the history of the Church of God could not have bee. toulerstoos:
The mercy, the power, and the Providence of God. are 'Ovally di..
played in that part of sacred history, and cannot fail to Imre-,
with a sense of religious fear and oust even the stupid mind oe-s.
negro. Foe this reason, I suppose, the Apostle Paul in Ist ('or
c. x. v.l to 11, presses upon our particular attention this very pot.
Roo of the scriptures: " Now all these things hoppened unto them
for examples; and they are written for one achnooition, upon
whom the ends of the world are cause." In reading the portions to
Scripture, partially related by the witnesses, care was always taken
to guard against perversion or misapplication; such reflections
only being made at the end of the chapter ea were ofa motel sad
teisgious nature.
The deacons praying extempore at the morning service. Is rt.
peatedly brought forward in the evidence for the ponecotior.,
whereby it appears that an attempt was made to show that I.taught.
them, in an insidious and artful manner, to reflect upon them mas-
tees, and thereby to infuse into the negroes a spirit of dished:fa,.
tion. Extempore prayer is practised. I believe, in every Chrimia.,
church, except those of England and of Rome ; and amongst mos ,
if not all, dames of Protestant dissenters, the deacons and members
pray at meetings of that nature. With us it was not the themes
only that prayed, but any of the male members whom I judged
capable orso doing they prayed aloud, end were taught by me to
pray with their eyes abut ; this was for the purpose of abetractim .
But surely it proves that I could not have taught per allor:ed the-.•
to introduce any thing offensive in their prayeal for whilst thee
were praying, pith their eyes shut, any black, coloured, or white
person meth have entered the chapel, as the doors were alw.ty. .
open during such peeyer meetings.
He was asked If-these pnlyers were taught him. Ile amtweree,
" No, memories of himself, out of his own heat."
The of the negroos appear to have been tenacious of'
that pert of saaed history concerning the deliverance of the chil-
dren of Israel. 'This cannot be imputed to me ma crime, for there
is not a chapter upon this subject that I have read to then: twice.
I went twuMy through, except in omitting from caution such
chapters as I thought might be misunderstood. Emartiel was
asked, " Was it told you why God so commanded Aloe^ ?" Be
answered, " That was because God did not wish that they should
be made sis." I. certainly did not tell the r.egroes this. I mad
the lemons from the small pulpit, as Azor proves, and my semisoft
were delivered from the upper pulpit ; it was not likely thet in a
mixed congregation, assembled with open doors, I should ex -
period doctrine, in a manner objectionable to the community at
Lore. 1 boldly put the question to this very 'Ropes Azor, .. Whin
the prisoner talked or explained to you about Rai children of Ism'.
did he tell you that the state or situation of the aegroes was like t u
that of the children of Israel ?" Hi* answer wish " No." lied I
been conscious that this question could have been answered its sty
other way, would I have dared to put it ?
Thirdly.—lt is alleged that I took money and presents of the
negroes : This, I suppose, is to show that by so doing I imposer:-
ished them, and hence made them dissatisfied with their condition.
The evidence for the prosecution clearly proves, that whatever money
*as contributed was entirely voluntary on the part oldie contributors.
Once a month, after the sacrament, a collection was made amount-
ing, api Bristol states, to from f. 30 to f. 35 : 'I believe the average
antOunt was about f. 311. With this money bread and wine fur the
communion, and mulles for the use of the chapel. wire purchase.
I *mime no arse will "oppose that I less notch the richer : for
tbot Bristol further asp, " Some that could ak'ot.t it give aye lith,
same one bitt, end some nothing ; but whether the; gave or gave
not, still they were welcome to partake." I never snip a syllable tie
them about collecting ft ; they had, I believe, been in the habit u:
doing so hom the time of Mr. Post.
It is further said, that I took money of the negroes for the Mis-
sionary Society. I did en. It was by the Society's requiem, aed
with the knowledge of their muter, sorocof whom approved et it.
On commencing this contribution, I explained from the pulpit the
nature and object of the Society, sad the necessity of their being
supplied with money to enable them to carry on their designs. Ithd
Stetted those who chose to become control:tours: many gave me
their names, some of whom paid their subscriptions reprulariy,
while others scarcely ever paid at all. A collection was made abaft
once a-year in the chapel. The money was reckoned by the