The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1824-01-27 00:00:00

ASSEMBLY.

_—JAMAICA, TUYIDAY, Dzc.
House in Committee on the Bill for the mule effectual punish.
meat of sedition—Hr. Aikman in the Chair. There was a discus-
sion only on one clause, which appeared obscure, and put the
power in a magistrate to convict persons at meetings, if they did
not disperse within half an hour, and rendered them liable to seven
years' transportation, which was amended; and it must be moved
that the meeting was seditious..—Chair resumed; and the bill with
amendments reported, and ordered to be engrossed. It is for one
year.
Mr. Cox moved a message to his Grace the Governor, to sc.
quaint him that they had examined into the Slave Law, which they
had found complete in all its parts; that the House was willing to
meliorate the condition of the slaves, but conceive the present time
unfavourable, owing to the late discussion in Parliament, as tend.
ing to unsettle their minds, which are at present perfectly quiet and
contented.

__- --- ---
Mr. RENNALLS wished it to remain over for • day or two, which
was speed to.
Chair resumed and the resolutions reported.—Adjourned.

KINGSTON, Dec. 2.
Several important matters came before the House this day.
First, the committal of the abominable (lagging Bill, which must
have been framed from some draft of his Catholic Majesty of Spain.
We beg to call the attention of our Legislators to the Consolidated
Slave Lew, and they will see that to speak seditiously among
slaves is punishable with death. The law is quite strong enough.
If this infamous law pass, the Attorney-General and Mr. Bullock
are absolute. Then we will not hear the inhabitants of Trinidad
and all the other Colonies say, " you who live in a land of liberty."
We understand some most noxious and unnecessary clauses of the
Alien Act will be repealed on its re.committal this day. The law
is nearly useless.
The report of Mr. Grigton, as to the most effectual means to be
adopted to resist the innovations of the mother counter, and Mr.
Barrettes draft of a Memorial to the King, will also be taken up.
Mar nODISSI—We do not advocate theproceedings of thellar-
Wiens who tumultuously pulled down the Methodist Chapel but
it were much to be visited that our Legislature would put an end
Ito the cant of hypocrisy in this island. The spirit of Methodism is
I so prevalent in this city, that we have Methodist prayer meetings,
love meetings, political meetings, at all times (chkt y midnight)
and its all places. We can prove the fact, that at a Malmo:Hai&
meeting which took place in the Chapel at Spanish Town, about
three years since, a Methodist parson (a very enlightened one too)
commenced a tirade of abuse against the Executive, and concluded
by "hoping that a certain exalted individual" (roaring out his
name and title) "might at length raise himself from his filthy lusts
before he went into the pit of eternal damnation." The Editor of
this Paper heard this said in the presence of, and addressed to,
nearly MO slaves.
Tho Attorne7.oeneral, on Saturday, issued his warrant against
Mr. Richard taeey (a person of colour), for sedition. He is said
to have declared that he 'would be the first who would "plant the
tree of liberty in the centre of Kingston Parade. This expression
was certainly very foolish and puerile.
Mr. Facey has given securities for his appearance to answer the
charge.

Warrants (under the Alien Act) have been Issued acainst other
persons. The warrants not having been executed we suppress their
names. . -

Messrs. Leeesne and Escofferry, who were, by the judgment of
the Supreme Court, declared British subjects, were ori Satur-
day taken up and sent on board the Scraps, for the purpose of
purpose of being sent out of the island.
The above-named individuals were yesterday morning trans.
(erred from the Scrapis to the lielienn,which sailed immediately. It
is understood that they are to be landed at St. Domingo.
We are rather timid in giving our opinion on a particular sub-
ject ; but we hope no fears, well or ill founded, will induce the
Assembly to render the Executive absolute.
Extract of a letter from Itarbadoea, dated the 20th ult.:—" We
have just heard, by an arrival from Demerara, that Smith, the
Missionary, was found guilty on the clearest evidence, of having
I been concerned in the rebellion in that island. Ile wan to have been
executed the day after the vessel sailed."

The letters from Colombia by the Leeward Island
packet, received yepterday, do not come down to so late a
date as we have previously given by way of New York.
There is, of course, therefore, nothing new from that
quarter. The La Guayra merchants were many of them
busy in emigrating to Puerto Cabello, carrying with them
great part of the contents of the La Guayra warehouses.