The Sun.
London, England, 1839-03-21 00:00:00

We, the Baptist Missionaries whose names are here-
under written, assembled at our annual Association,
held at Montego Bay, beg to present to your Excellency
at this important period of our Colonial affairs, a hum-
ble, loyal, and dutiful expression of our sentiments and
feelings.
Your Excellency has already received addresses from
many of our Churches and Congregations, expressive
of their loyalty to our Sovereign, of attachment to your
Excellency's person and Government, and of gratitude
to the Parliament and people of England, for the inesti-
mable boon which has lately been conferred upon
them ; and we have reason to believe that similar
views and acknowledgments will be presented
you from every Church and Congregation con-
nected with us throughout the island. In all the ex-
pressions and sentiments contained in those which have
already been presented, we most heartily concur ; and
additionally beg to convey the assurance of the high
estimation with which we regard your Excellency, for
the noble, decided, energetic, and impartial manner in
which, amidst almost unparalleled opposition and con-
tumely, you continue to administer the affairs of the
Government, without in the least detracting from the
honour due to your illustrious predecessors—the Mar-
quises of Normanby and Sligo, whose names will ever
live in the recollection of posterity, that from the
happy combination of offices possessed by your Excel-
lency, among other considerations, the affairs of the
Colony at this unexampled crisis of its history, could not
have been confided to abler hands. While, therefore,
we the most unexceptionable manner, the
we express
r high sense we entertain of your Excellency's public
conduct, we cannot forbear expressing our most anxious
hope that no circumstances will induce You to resin
the important trust reposed in you by Your Sovereign,
as her representative, and our ruler, until the benevo-
lent designs of the British Parliament and people, with
respect to the lately emancipated peasantry, shall be
fully accomplished ; it being ou.rfir m conviction that
any change in the Executive until this object is effected,
would be highly detrimental to the interest of the
Colony at large.
In the declaration which has been made to your
Excellency, by the people, of our charge, of willingness
to labour whenever treated with the consideration due
to human beings, and for just and reasonable wages,
we also most cordially unite.—We assure your Excel-
lency that we have scarcely met with a single instance,
among the thousands under our pastoral care, the di-
seased and infirm excepted, in which an indisposition to
industry has been the result of the great gift of
entire
freedom. On the contrary we state it as our decided
opinion, from extensive personal observation and expe-
rience, that at no former period of the histo,sy of the
Colony, were the peasantry so much disposed to la-
bour, or, in the absence of petty annoyances and ill-
treatment, ever half so cheerful and happy. So far
from having manifested any disposition to take advan-
tage of the late change in their social condition, to re-
venge the injuries of the past, or even to justify the
least suspicion of hostility, as the effect of more recent
injur.es and oppressions, and which in some districts,
have assumed all the aspects of a conspiracy, to goad
the multitude into acts of insubordination ; they have
manifested both in expression and conduct, a degree
of submission and forbearance, which nothing but the
benignant influence of Christianity would ever have in-
spired.

I have read your Reporters' account of the debate
on the state of the Navy, brought forward by Lord
Colchester, and supported by,the Earl of Hardwicke.
Perhaps Lord Colchester did the thing very well ; how-
ever, of that I will not attempt to judge—it was a long
yarn.
The Earl of Hardwicke visited Plymouth Dock-yard
a very short time since, and expressed his admiration of
every thing he saw ; yet his Lordship is reported to
have said in the House of Lords that there was not a
topsail in the yard save a mizen one. Verily I thought the
late Sir J. Yorke had stepped out of his grave and taken
his place in the House of Lords. You may recollect, Sir,
at least I do, how the Gallant Admiral used to convulse
both sides of the House of Commons ; he was a good
one. Now, Sir, I should hardly think this could have
been said seriously by Lord Hardwicke, if reported cor-
rectly. I have the honour to know one of the Lords of
the Admiralty. I wish the Gallant Admiral had been
in the House of Lords that evening, the spirit of Sir
Joseph Yorke would have broke out with all the Ad-
miral's quarter-deck punctuality. No Topsail. When
his Lordship was here, the Malabar was being paid off
—her stores returned ; she had been but a short time
in commission, and had three sets of these topsails ;
two sets must have been new—pray, where were these
sails ?—in the dock-yard certainly. I fear the Earl of
Hardwicke did not go into the corners of the yard, splendid
corners ; the sight of sails there are a delight to a sailor's
eye. I am creditably informed there arc at this moment in
the Dock-yard ten complete sets of sails for line-of-battle
ships. I do not think at this moment there can be a
more efficient Dock-yard than this at Plymouth ; the
Gallant Admiral at its head devotes all his time for the
public good. As for stores, I do not think there is a
deficiency in any article ; the sail stores at Sheerness
tremble to their foundation from the weight of sails
above. The Russell—l recollect being on board of her
in Plymouth Sound ; she had just returned from Malta,
having left all her spare stores behind, consisting of
spars, sails, and cordage, perhaps as much as a large
transport could take on board ; that ship's time had
nearly expired, which she was to finish at Lisbon ; yet
this very Dock-yard, Plymouth, obliged her to take
all on board again. Ships of this day have nearly
one-third sails, spars, and stores of all sorts more
than they had in the war. So much for defici-
encies. A remark was made that the Revenge's
foremast had been taken out for another ship.
Surely, it cannot be expected that spare masts should
he kept for each vessel in the service. I recollect the
Bellerophon, about two years ago, Sir Charles Paget's
flag-ship, springing her fore-mast outside this port ; a
mast from the Foudroyant was taken out and put into
her ; she was again at sea in some four hours, without
detriment to the Service.
The writer of this statement has been for the last ten
years constantly employed. You will allow he ought to
know something of what he here puts forth.
I have to apologise for thus troubling you, which I
would not have done had it not been for squads of
croakers, which I meet at every turn, since Lord
Hardwicke's statement appeared ; their faces are
uncommonly long, evidently suffering under that sad

HAY-MARKET.—Mr. Kenneth, we unner-
stand, takes his benefit at this theatre this evening ; on
which occasion will be revived the favourite play of the
School of Reform. As the whole of the Bill of fare is very
popular, we doubt not the theatre will be well attended.
ARTIST'S GENERAL BENEVOLENT INSTITU-
TION.—The twenty-fourth anniversary dinner of this excel-
lent charity, instituted for the relief of decayed artists,
their widows, and orphans, is fixed for Saturday next, and
from tite rank and number of the gentlemen who have sig-
nified their intention to act as stewards, a numerous at-
tendance is anticipated.
CLOSING OF THE PUBLIC-ROUSES ON SUN-
DAY MORNINGS.-At a meeting of County Magistrates,
held in St. Pancras, on the subject of licences, a depu-
tation waited upon the Bench, and presented a me-
morial, setting forth that the licensed victuallers of the pa-
rish of St. Pancras having taken into consideration the sug-
gestion of the Magistrates of the 7th of March last, rela-
tive to the closing of public-houses from•twelve o'clock on
the Saturday night till one o'clock on the Sunday after-
noon, were prepared to carry out the suggestion, provided
it was made a general measure throughout the metropolis.
The memorial bore the signatures of 160 licensed victual.
lens resident in the parish.
STATE OF TRADE.—There was considerable
inquiry for yarn yesterday ; but the spinners having gene.
rally demanded an advance somewhat beyond the late ad-
vance in cotton, which the buyers are unwilling to give,
the amount of business was limited, but large parcels would
have been taken at a trifling reduction upon the prices
asked. Printing cloth was in better demand, and an ad-
vance of 3d. to 43d. upon the prices of last week was
pretty readily obtained ; but heavier fabrics continue ex-
ceedingly dull. We understand that the working of short
time at staleybridge is not likely to continue beyond this
day. Indeed, several of the mills have already resumed
full time.—Manchester Guardian.
Every member of the Government, and connected
with it in the House of Commons, voted for Mr. Villiers'
motion, with the exception of Mr. Robert Gordon. The
Tories, with three exceptions, voted for the present Corn-
laws.—Morning Chronicle.

THE MARQUIS OF WESTMINSTER.---This
Nobleman has written a letter to the Mayor of Congleton,
in which he declares himself favourable to a total repeal of
the Corn-laws, and offers to present and support any peti-
tion from the Corporation for the attainment of such an
object on his going to London.—Chester Chronicle.