The Sun.
London, England, 1852-10-05 00:00:00

AFRICAN SLAVE TRADE.

The following reply to the memorial of the British
and Foreign Anti-Slavery Society, remonstrating against
an Act recently passed in Jamaica for the purpose of
encouraging immigration into that island and to promote
the industry of immigrants, has been received from the
Foreign-office.
"Foreign-office, Sept. 28, 1852.

" Sir,—l am directed 19y the Earl of Malmesbury to ac-
knowledge the receipt of your letter, received on the
21st instant, recapitulatin
various subjects relating to
g
the African slave trade and to slavery, which the
British and Foreign Anti-Slavery Society has at
different times brought under the notice of her Majesty's
Government.

" And I am now to state to you, for the information
of that society, that her Majesty's Government will
continue to take such measures for the suppression of
the slave trade, and for the liberation of negroes
wrongfully held in slavery, as may be compatible with
existing treaties between Great Britain and foreign
states, and with the law of nations.—l am, Sir, &c.,
"John Scoble, E
(Sig
"ned) " &TANEY.
sq.

GLASGOW AUTUMN CIRCUIT COURT.
GLASGOW, FRIDAY.—The Autumn Circuit Court
was opened hereon Monday last by Lords Cockburn
and Ivory, n terms of the new Act, sat in sepa-
ratewithho i
the view of expediting the business,
vory,
courts, who,
which formerly used to last from ten days to a fort-
night, greatly to the inconvenience of jurymen and
witnesses, who were detained all that period from
their ordinary avocations.
On this occasion the calendar consisted of 80 cases,
in which 163 persons were implicated. None of the
cases presented any peculiar features of interest or
aggravation, if we except charges of a disgusting cha-
racter, which seem to be on the increase. Three men
were convicted of rape, or intent, and sentenced
variously to imprisonment for six months, transpor-
tation for seven years, and transportation for fourteen
years. A girl, named Mary Gray, was sentenced to
transportation for life for commission of the crime of
incest with her father, Daniel Gray. The man had
absconded, and was outlawed. Another man, named
Smellie, also accused of the crime of incest, wa3
outlawed for non-appearance. The most interesting
cases were those of enginemen charged with
culpable homicide, or culpable neglect of duty. Cases
of death by negligence of this kind have of late
largelyincreased in the mining districts, and the
authorities seem determined to put a stop to them if
the law can effect it.

On Thursday, Robert Rowatt, engineman at the
coal-pit at Rawyards, New Monklands, was charged
with culpably losing command of his engine, by which

three men, named Martin, 1111Lachlan, and Marshall,
were dashed to the bottom in the bucket. Martin was
kilted on the spot, and the two others severely in-
jured. After a long trial,
The jury brought in a verdict of culpable neglect of
duty, but at the same time recommended the prisoner
to mercy on account of his previous good character.
Lord COCKBURN passed sentence of imprisonment
or twelve months, stating that if the jury had found
the man guilty of culpable homicide the sentence
would have been one of transportation. Previous
good character on the part of a prisoner should no
doubt be considered, but at the same time they should
not forget that a very decent man by a single act of
negligence might turn a railway switch the wrong
way, by which hundreds of people might be hurried
to destruction.

Thomas Morton, engineman at Hamilton Farm,
was brought up on a similar charge of losing com-
mand of his engine, by which a man named Walter
Anderson was killed by the bucket and rope falling
on the top of him.
This panel was also convicted of culpable neglect
of duty, and sentenced to one year's imprisonment.