The Sun.
London, England, 1839-04-30 00:00:00

JAMAICA II

ASSEMBLY.

TO THE EDITSR OF THE MORNING CHRONICLE.
SIR—I never felt greater joy than when I heard that it
was in contemplation to suspend the legislative powers of
the House of Assembly in Jamaica. This object I have
had at heart many years, and have expressed this sentiment
to many friends. Had this measure been resorted to be-
fore, the benevolent intentior s of the Legislature in estab-
lishing the apprenticeship would:not have been to so great
et degree counteracted. The colonists have no right to
complain of a violation of their charter ; since they them •
selves hare again and again violated it, by enacting laws
repugnant to the laws of England, contrary to the express
provision in all the colonial charters.
The Government will now be enabled, during the few
years of suspension, to introduce such salutary measures
as will not only provide for the present welfare of the
Negroes, but place them in such a state of security, that it
will not be in the power of the House of Assembly to undo
what has been done.
I hope, therefore, that every true friend to the cause in
the House of Commons, even of those who belong to the
political party of Sir Robert Peel, will on this occasion,
feel themselves bound to give their active support to the
law proposed by the Government, in order to complete
their own work—the emancipation of the Negroes, which
has been already granted by law, but has still to be con
ferred in fact.

I am, sir, your humble servant.
THOMAS CLARKSON.
Hatcham-house, New-cross, April 29, 1339.

PENNY POSTAGE-SUNDAY

SCHOOLS.

TO THE EDITOR OF THE SUN.
Ste,—As you have taken considerable interest in the
question of a reduced postage, I trouble you with a remark
or two in a view of the matter I have not even noticed.
lam Superintendent of two Sunday Schools here, com-
prising 800, or more, children, and have held the office of
Secretary in an institution embracing 8,000 ;children ; of
the 800 I am immediately connected with there are, at
least, I compute 50 who, from attendance one or two
night's a week, can write as well as I could when I left
school for business, and tilere will be as many more who cau
write tolerably. Take this as an average, and out of the
40,000 Sunday scholars in Manchester and Salford, we
have 5,000 who are capable of communicating their wishes
by letter ; and supposing, on an average, they only wrote
three letters per annum—and further suppose, that the
teachers in the Sunday schools wrote as many as the
scholars, you have at once a transit of 30,000 letters per
annum.

Again, these schools have raised up many young men
who are gone as Missionaries to different parts of the
world, whose friends are, of course, in humble circum-
stances, and whose correspondence with them is extremely
curtailed by the inland postage of a shilling or more ; to
these parties a penny postage would be a great boon.
I will not occupy further your valuable space, merely
suggesting these hints to those to whom they may not
have occurred. My figures are, of course, mere opi-
nions ; but I feel persuaded any person well acquainted
with the subject will say I have underrated, rather than
other wise.—l am, Scc.,
Manchester, April 27, 1839.

SECRETARIUS.

REDUCTION OF POSTAGE.

TO THE EDITOI? OF THE SUN.

Sin,—Having been occupied almost the whole of yes-
terday in obtaining the signatures of the Rate-payers of
this parish, to a petition to the House of Commons for the
above object, I have bad an opportunity of witnessing the
intensity of the feeling of the middle and poorer classes for
greater facilities of communication. lam convinced that
any Administration that shall carry Mr. Hill's, or any si-
milar plan, into operation, will be hailed as national bene-
factors.
I hope those to whom we owe much will not lose so glo-
rious an opportunity of well-doing.
Yours, most respectfully,
ONE OF THE OVERSEERS.
St. Clement Danes, April 30, 1839.