The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1824-08-04 00:00:00

TRINIDAD.

Advices have been received from Trinidad to the middle
of June. A meeting of the Board of CabiWo had been
held subsequently to the general meeting of the inhabit-
ants of the colony, a notice cf whose petition, and ►he
Governor's answer to it, appeared in the British Prrss of
the 6th of July. At this meeting of the Cabildo the fol-
lowing petition was agreed to, and was ordered to be pre-
sented to the G :ernor

" TO lila EXCELLENCY SIR R•LP!I JAPES WOODFORD,
RANT. GOY—NEON &r

" We, his MajestiClnnstdutiftifand loyal subjects, the Aleal.,
I des in Ordinary, and the Reeeidon of the illustrious Cabildo, rt.
spectfully approach your Excellency on an occasion which we deem
of serious consequence to the prosperity of the colony, and of vital
importance to the interests. the right., and the wellbeing of the
various classes of its inhabitants. The draught of an Order in
Council, intended to be promulented in this colony for the purpose
of improving the condition of the negro slaves, has been published
both in the British and Coloniel (lazettes. We are sincerely de-
sirous of promoting every just measure by which the evils of slavery
can be nuogated, and the happiness and well-being of the negro
slaves ptontoted. We hail with pleasure the beneficent intentions
of his Most Oractone 3lxjesty, expressed in his address to both
Houses of Parliament, to provide for the religious and moral in.
struction, and to amtliorate the condition, of this class of our fel.
low-subjects. We were assured, by the character and by the ex.
pressed resolutions of the British Legislature, that the measures
for carrying hi. gracious intentions into effect would be compatible
with the well-being of the slaves themselves, with the safety of the
colonies, and with a fair and equitable consideration of the interests
of p-operty.
`• Impressed with a deep sense of the duties we owe to the com-
munity over which we pre.ide, and desirous to avert, or at least to
suspend. a measure by which, in our prosperity is en.
I (lingered and its rights compeomised, we beg have humbly to re.
present to your Excellency our sincere and solemn conviet'en, that
the provisions of the proposed Order in Council will be injurious to
the well-being of the slaves themselves, incompatible with the
safety of the colony, ruinous to the interests of the master, and sub.
versive of the most sacred rights of pririte property.
" Your Excellency is by the law of the Partidas, as well as those
of the Itecopilicion of the Indies, expressly entrusted with the
power of suspending the op erarion of all Royal Orders which may
be injurious to the prosperity of the communtty, until a representa-
tion can be made to his Majesty, and his Cud determination there-
on expressed. We there:l,re en•reat your Excellency to exercise a
power, which may, on this occasion, be exercised so beneficially
for the interests and the preservation of the colony ; and to stay tile
promulgation or the operation cf the proposed Order in Countil
until our humble prayers and reprrentatior.s can be laid an the feat
of the throne of onr most gracious sovereign. But in the event of
your Excellency not deeming it right to suspend the promulgation
of the said Order, then we do most respentully hereby derlare to
reserve to the inhabitants of this colony their just and legal claims
upon his Illajesty's Government for componsation for all losses
they may now or hereafter sustain by their obedience to this Order,
whethir R. arising from any depreciatien in the %edit, of th,ir
petty, or by er:uel limeys from uets of a most prejudicial tendency,
and 'greatly to be dreadtd."
. . _

(S-t..meinty the First ar.d Second Algaldes, and all the Ragidors.)
To this his Excellency the Governor rcpied as fol-
lows :
" The Governer has received the communication which the Al-
caldes in ordinary, and the itcgidors of the illustrious t'abildo,
have addressed to I ' , upon the propriety of suspending the pro-
mulgation of the Order in Codncil that hells* received for tit: pro.
twilit!' of the slaves.

•• The tioveroor has adverted to the laws alluded to by the Va.
bildo. In that of the Partidas, he recognises a bcnceuhut
tion on the part of the Socerti,m to rm•ne the representations of
his people on subjects affecting their local interests t it that of the
lndtcs how:eer, the exercise of the powers thmehy conterrd is
made to depend on the views whiz!, the authorities, to whom these
powers ate entrusted, may take of any of the orders transmitted to
than fur execution.

'• The tioyernor tl:ics not think, upan mature reflee,ion, that
those laws rowers the present cs.c.
'• For nearly twelve months past, not only have the provisions
of the Order been distinctly notified to the ithabitsnts, but every
facility has been afforded to those who might consider themselves
affected by the enactment of them, to express their sentiments on
their probable effects.
'•The representations and vesniutions of the di:rt.-rent quarters of
the island have all been tan quitted to his Majesty without re-
serve ; and the Order in que.timi has since been trained, and has
been submitted to, and received unqualifiedly the approbation of,
both Houma; of Parliament. The law of l'artidas adverted to ex-
pressly commands, that if the Sovereign persists in the signification
of his pleasure, his orders shall be carried into effect; and admit_
tog, therefore, that law to be applkablo on the occasion, chi corms