The Sun.
London, England, 1837-01-11 00:00:00

PEMBROKE-SIR J. OWEN.

At a meeting at Pembroke, on the 26th of December
last, which was attended by gentlemen of the town and
neighbourhood of both parties, to propose an Address to Sir
John Owen, Bart., whose PRIVATE character, as well as
several other persons, had been attacked ON OATH, re-
garding the Charitable Trusts, the following observations
fell from Mr. LAWSE (who does not mix himself up with
the politics of the County), and whose name was introduced
in the libel referred to—some persons having misrepresented
what he stated to his prejudice.
" Mr. Chairman and Gentlemen—You have heard the
requisition read—this is not a political meeting, if it was,
Whig or Tory, I would not appeal to it ; therefore, it
will only be honest in me to state my opinion of Charitable
Trusts. I do not approve of these Trusts being in the
hands of any set of men having the same principles in po-
litics, unless it was the desire of the Charitable donor ; for
who will say that every man has not a right to do ' what
he likes with his own,' as long as it is not a nuisance to his
neighbour. Further I will not trespass on your time on
this subject.

" Gentlemen—We are met to propose an address to Sir
John Owen, and I am sure we are right in expressing in
this place our disgust and disapprobation at the malicious
and villainous attack on the PRIVATE character of an ho-
nourable neighbour of ours—no less a person than the
Lord-Lieutenant of the County. I can scarcely find words
to show my abhorrence at this vile affair. I will appeal to
the hearts of such of you as are husbands and fathers, what
must have been the feelings of the wife and the children,
when they heard of this attack on the husband and the
father ? I declare a man who could concoct such a docu-
ment, afterwards deliberately swear to it, and then record
it as evidence in the highest Court of Justice in the coun-
try, must have a heart as dark as the hat in my hand, or, I
might say, he has no heart at all—allow me to use a simile
I have heard in America, if you could turn him inside out-
wards, you would see him a man of another colour, although
so fair the outward man. Mr. Perry is held up as the
organ ; but are we to be told there are no others at the
bellows? There are—and a pretty piece of discord has
been produced in our sociable neighbourhood. These pig-
mies in tact and talent thought to ride themselves into con-
sequence, by traducing the characters of highly respectable
individuals ; but they will find themselves a Corkhorse
upon a broomstick. Gentlemen—lt grieves me whenever
I have to censure any person—perhaps more so, when the
parties are of my own station of life. Pray, do not believe
I have entered into this discussion, because one of the par-
ties holds the exalted station of Lord-Lieutenant of the
County. No, gentlemen, during my sojourn in this life, I
bare endeavoured to keep in mind these hackneyed lines—
' Honour and shame from no condition rise,
Act well your party there all the honour lies.'
If Mr. Perry and his prompters had kept these lines in
view, there would have been no occasion for this meeting
to-day. Gentlemen—lt is my duty and inclination to state,
that Mr. Thomas, a surgeon, at Pater, met me this morn-
ing, and distinctly denied any knowledge of the affidavit be-
fore us ; but he admitted being a party to give Mr. Perry the
information in the last paragraph, where a gentleman pre-
sent is charged with perjury. I now thank you for so pa-
tiently hearing me."

FOREIGN INTELLIGENCE.

JAMAICA.

---
OPENING OF THE HOUSE OF ASSEMBLY.
(From Jamaica Papers received to the 25th of November.)
Nov. I.—The House met agreeably to proclamation ;
the Speaker took the Chair at three o'clock.
Mr. Guy and Mr. Leslie, appointed a Committee to wait
upon his Excellency the Governor to inform him that the
House had met according to his Majesty's proclamation,
who, returning, reported that they had informed his Ex-
cellency thereof.
appeared rhe Provost Marshal General immediately afterwards
, at the bar, and in his Majesty's name commanded
he immediate attendance of the House in thu
Council
cella_rnber, whereupon the House went over,. when Ex-
'neY was pleased to open the session with the following
speech :

" Gentlemen of the Council,
" Mr. Speaker and Gentlemen of tile House of As-
sembly,
jCly happy in meeting you in session for the first
vernment
time since I have assumed the charge of this important Go-
.
di" I am deeply penetrated with all the responsibilities and
fficulties I shall have to undertake ; but I feel confident
m vereoyour support and in your patriotism, to enable me to
to render
oine them, and to encourage my unceasing exertions
.4' It is my government serviceable to your country.
illy anxious hope, therefore, that all animosities
will
will no longer
cease, that the seate of Government
be' consideredint a magazine of combustibles, hostile to your
crests, because the times have dictated a course of
Policy may . effecting many system.
ny necessary changes in your social
Gentlemen,
The
than country is represented to me as full of grievances ;
Y, I
toacknowledge
I invite ou
examine int seem of great difficulty. , Y
they iony be o their cause and origin dispassionately, that
presented 1,), cmornbated by joint exertions, and faithfully re-
There has t
eto the King's Ministers.
two or three of the to complain of in the conduct of
and apprentices ,_ sapecial magistrates in putting employers
which has, in.,
Ina'nny
instate of irritation against each other,
harshness towards the trees* provoked more severity and
" I am doing all I
canoturers than ever existed in slavery.
Other measures, I have o correct this evil, and amongst
set on f
ful establishment of scales of loot inquiries towards a care-
ho " I have not forgotten, Gentlemen, that Jamaica set the
first example in speedily and honourabl effect to the
'wishes of the Imperial Parliaroon't 13:vgi`ing
preparatory Emancipation Act. I was then engagjd theirin ti, e
greal
came in the Windward Govern
meta, and I felt under the greatest obligations to this island for her.
promptitude.
Deeply is it to be lamented that unfortunate feelings
arose which prevented those modifications to your Act
which experience has shown are still essential to the mutual
interests of masters and servants. I will never believe that
the gentlemen who then represented the interests of this
Powerful colony have ever been indifferent to the ultimate
success of those measures to which they so early gave
effect, and I shall therefore not fail hereafter to propose to
your consideration some suggestions of practical improve-
ment likely to put down complaints, and restore confidence
and good will between proprietors and labourers.
" There is, indeed, one most important subject which I
cannot resist submitting. to your grave consideration. It is
the religious and moral condition of the negroes. No man

has had such opportunity of enlarged observation amongst
this class as I have had, either in the immediate govern-
ment of or eventual controul over seven colonies, and I
I am sorry to proclaim that they are in this island in a
more deplorably backward state than in any other. Yet,
Gentlemen, they must lie taught to fear God, before they
can be made to respect the laws. It is physically im-
possible for the ministers of the Established Church,
few in number, ►with an extended surface of population,
to do more than they have done. The first object
is to instil the doctrines of Christianity, and not to
insist on any particular Church discipline. I firmly be-
lieve the assistance of the missionaries is most necessary to
this end. Gentlemen, we have hardly four years more to
watch over the experiment of apprenticeship. Give every
fhcility you can to tie miss:onarie' labours. Banish from
your minds the idea that they arc your enemies. I will an-
swer with my head for their loyalty and fidelity. Encou-
rage their peaceable settlements amongst your people ; let
every four or five contiguous estates combine for the erec-
tion of chapel schools ; and knowing, as you well do, the
attachment of the negro to the place of his birth, and the
burial-place of his parents, you may, I sincerely believe, by
these means, finally locate on your estates a contented pea-
santry.

" The example in Antigua forcibly impressed the advan-
tage of this course of improvement.
" Mr. Speaker and Gentlemen of the Assembly,

. _
" I reserve for other opportunities the laying before you
several communications, either connected with my instruc-
tions from the Secretary of State, or emanating in local
expediency.
" I respectfully recommend to your early consideration
such annual Acts as are about to expire.

" Gentlemen of the Council,
" Mr. Speaker, and Gentlemen of the House of
Assembly,

" There never was a time in the history of this colony
in which the spirit of union and cordiality was so neces-
sary to your successful labours. For myself, I shall most
cheerfully concur in any measure, whether directed to the
immediate wants of society, or to the security of your
future wants."

The following is the address of the Council in reply to
the Governor's speech :
" May it please your Excellency—We his Majesty's
dutiful and loyal subjects, the Council, sincerely congra-
tulate your Excellency on your assumption of this impor-
tant Government.

" We duly appreciate the difficulties with which you
will have to contend, and the responsibility of your high
station ; but you may rely with confidence on our sup-
port and patriotism, and be assured that no exertions
shall be wanting on our part to render your Government
as easy to yourself as we are satisfied it will be beneficial
to the country.
" We concur in the anxious hope expressed by your
Excellency, that those animosities which have distracted
our community may cease, and that the united efforts of
the Legislature may be steadily directed to the discovery
and adoption of the best means of upholding the prosperity
and maintaining the peace of the island.
" It is impossible to deny that many grievances exist,
into the cause or origin of which we shall dispassionately
inquire ; and, we trust, that they may be as successfully
combated, as we feel assured that they will be faithfully re-
presented by your Excellency to the King's Ministers.
" We regret that the conduct of some of the Special
Magistrates should have given such just cause of complaint,
and that in consequence a state of irritation has been ex-
cited between proprietors and apprentices most prejudicial
to the well-being of the colony. We thank your Excel-
lency for the assurance that you are doing all in your power
to correct this evil, which we are convinced will in a great
measure subside when the Acts regulating the duties of
masters and apprentices are, throughout the island, duly
and impartially administered ; and we anticipate the best
results from a cautious and well-digested establishment of
scales of labour.

" We are gratified by the honourable mention made by
your Excellency- of the manner in which effect was given
by the Legislature of this island to the wishes of the Impe-
rial Parliament in so speedily passing the Act for the aboli-
tion of slavery ; and we can with truth affirm that those
who represented the interests of this powerful colony have
ever been most anxious for the ultimate success of that most
important measure ; and any suggestions of practical im-
provement emanating from your Excellency shall receive our
most attentive consideration, and, if adopted, we hope they
may put down complaints, and firmly establish confidence
and good-will between proprietors and labourers.
" We sensibly feel the absolute necessity of giving the
negro population the advantages of moral and religious
instruction, and fully concur in the sentiment expressed
by your Excellency, that man must be taught to fear
God before he can be made to respect the laws.
Whilst we agree with your Excellency that the first ob-
ject is to instil the doctrines of Christianity, we cannot
forbear declaring our devoted attachment to that form of
sound word in which we have been brought up, and
expressing our regret that the number of the clergy of
the Church is not equal to the spiritual wants of this large
colony ; still we hope that all denominations of Christian
teachers will be supported, whilst they confine themselves
to the true and legitimate object of their calling ; and we
trust that the beneficent results anticipated by your Excel-
lency, as likely to flow from the labours of the missionaries,
may be accomplished.
We are deeply impressed with the absolute necessity of
fostering a spirit of union and cordiality to arrive at a suc-
cessful termination of our labours ; and we sincerely thank
your Excellency for your assurance, that you will concur in
any measure, whether directed to the immediate wants of
society, or the security of our future interests."
To the above his Excellency was pleased to make the
following reply :
" Gentlemen of the Council,

I am sincerely thankful to you for this kind address,
for it gives me every assurance of your zeal and spirit to pro-
mote the best interests of the country, to which end my
humble abilities will be faithfully directed.
" I can not omit, in particular, my grateful acknowledg-
ment of the liberality with which the head of the Church
has met my sentiments, on the means of extending Chris-
tianity.

" What we can safely undertake now, in preparing for
freedom, would not, I admit, have been prudent in slavery.
" I am quite convinced that the gentlemen of the island
generally are too intelligent and rightly disposed not to see
and admit the distinction between the influenbe of Mission-
aries, as a first means of preparing for freedom,. and their
exertions in slavery, when they were so apt to be misun-
derstood, and to raise expectations inconsistent with that
condition."