The Sun.
London, England, 1838-01-04 00:00:00

TO THE EDITOR OF THE SUN.

SlR,—There have lately been some observations in The Sun
Newspaper, in which my name has been introduced with ex-
pressions of doubt as to the accuracy of some of the state-
ments recently made of the horrors committed under the pre-
sent system of slavery, called apprenticeship, and these
opinions have partly been given on the authority of some
clergyman, whose name is withheld from the public, but who
does not appear to have disproved one of the facts, Though
I do not consider it needful to notice observations founded
upon anonymous authority, and especially from a country
where few even of the clergy of the Church of &gland, are
not in some way or other interested in this accursed system,
yet, an I do not think the Editor would wilfully prejudice the
cause of the unhappy Negroes, I will simply give an extract
or two from a pamphlet respecting which the greatest incre-
dulity was expressed; it is " A Narrative of Events since the
Ist of August, 1834, by James Williams," a Negro I brought
home with me to this country, and which was considered of
sufficient importance for the Government at home to order a
commission of enquiry into its truth. From many things of
similar atrocity I extract the following examplcs, page 12 :
" All the woman that not able to dance (the treadmill), was
flog most dreadfully, in particular all the woman from Hiatts
field. There was twenty-one woman from Hiattsfield and one
man—several of them have young children ; I think they was
in for fourteen days. I found them in alien Igo there, and
they was let out on aaturday night ; I was present when they
let out, and I hear the list call, and counted the people, and it
was twenty one woman from Hiattsfield. When I go to the
workhouse on the Tuesday, there was only three of these
woman able to work in the field ; all the rest:was in the hospi-
tal, from being cut up with the mill and the fogging."
Page 14.—" One day we was working at Banks's negro-
houses cutting Penguin to plant at Springfield—old Sally was
chained to a young girl name Mary Murray ; it was heavy
rain time, driver was pushing the people on to run fast —was
flogging them on ; the young girl was trying to get on,
and was hauling and dragging the chain that was
en her and Sally's neck, as Sally dont able to keep up,
at last the old woman fall down right in a place where a
stream of water was running through the negro-house street,
and she dont able to get up again, then the driver stand over
her with the cat, and flog her, but she not able to get up with
the chain on, so he take off the chain and make the young girl
tie it round her body and go along with the rest, then he stand
over the old women sand flog her with the cat till he make her
get up, and keep on flogging at her till she get to the cooks
fireside."
The Jamaica Packet of the week before last, brings the
report of the Commissioners appointed to make the investiga-
tion, who, after examining upwards of two hundred witnesses,
state—" In reporting upon the general results of this extended
enquiry, it has become the daty of the Commissioners to state
that the allegations of James Williams's narrative has received
few and inconsiderable contradictions, whilst every material
fact has been supported and corroborated by an almost unbroken
chain of convincing testimony."
In the report of the towns meeting held here List week, it
was an error of the reporter which connected my observations
on female flogging with the 563,000 lashes in the official re-
turns. I have not since my return from the West Indies
given a gene' al comparison between the misery of the Negro
under the old and new system of slavery ; but let any one read
the narrative of James Williams*, now an official document,
and say if a more horrid exhib'tion of slavery was ever made in
anc!ent or modern times, though the British people have paid
twenty millions sterling to secure the liberty of the Negro.
I atw, respectfully,
JOSEPH STURGE.

Birmingham, Ist month 2d, 18383,
Published by John Haddon, Castle-street, Finsbury.

The body found in the river on Monday, near
East-lane, Bermondsey, is, es was suspected, that of the gen-
tleman named Green, who has been missing since the begin
ning of last month from his lodgings at Mr. R. Burn's, boot-
maker, in Piccadilly, and for whose discovery a considerable
reward has been offered. On the examination of the body of
the unfortunate gentleman, it was found that he had a deep
cut on the top of the head, and his gold watch and a little
money were found in his pockets, but a gold chain and seals,
which were attached to the watch when he was last seen alive,
vr,r• gone. It appears that Mr. Green was a gentleman of
considerable property, of remarkably regular and punctual
habits, and that he had lodged in the house of Mr. Burn for a
period of nine years, being unmarried. Nothing has at pre-
sent been discovered to give the slightest clue to the manner
in which he came by his death. The inquest is to be held to-
day at the Bermondsey workhouse, where the body now re-
mains until that has taken place.
A Club-house is about to be established in Hull,
under the title of the " Union Club," similar to the London
Club-houses. It is to be formed of gentlemen of all parties,
and politics are to be excluded.
BEAR HUNTING.—" One night, during the mid-
witch, young Nelson stole from the ship with one of his com-
rades, under cover of a fog, and set out over the ice in pursuit
of a bear. It was not long before they were missed ; search
was made for them, but in vain ; and Captain Lutwidge end
his officers became extremely alarmed for their safety. Be-
tween three and four in the morning, the fog clearing off, the
two adventurers were discovered on the ice at a considerable
distance, attacking a huge white bear. Nelson had a musket
but the lock being injured, the piece would not go off. A
signal was immediately made for their return. His comrade
called upon him to obey it, but he replied, Never mind; let
me but get a blow at this devil with the but-end of my mus-
ket, and then we shall have him.' A chasm in the ice, which
separated him from the bear, probably saved his life. Captain
Lutwidge, perceiving his danger, ordered a gun to be fired,
and this had the effect of frightening the beast away. His
assailant immediately returned to the ship, where Cie Captain
severely reprimanded him for conduct so unbecoming the offiee
which he held, and sternly asked what could be his moth e for
hunting a bear. I nished, Sir,' said he, routing his lip, as
was his custom when agitated, ' to get the skin for my father."
—Naval Keepsake
.fur 1838, contatning a new Life if Nel-
son, by the Old Sailor.
The annual New-Year's Ball took place, Monday
night, at the Royal Crown Hotel, Seven Oaks, and was
sited by all the rank and fashionabh s in the neighbourlicod.
Dancing commenced about 50 o'clock to Weippart's band, and
continued with spirit until one, when supper teas announced.
It consisted of tke usual delicacies, and the choicest wines
were in profusion. After supper daecing was resumed, and
continued until four.

Gazelle of Tuesday contains a re e.amation
offering 100/. reward for the discovery of the pe suns who,
on the 20th ult., fired at and attempted to stop the driver
of the mail-cart between Hull and Scarborough. Her Ma-
jesty's pardon is also promised to any of the people con
cerned (except the one who actua'ly fired the shot) who shall
give information on which his aceomplices may be convicted
of this daring offence.
SHOCKING OCCURRENCE.—Since Sunday last a
very painful sensation has taken place in the neighbourhood cf
Ivy-lane, Paternoster-row, in consequence of a most dreadful
circumstance which has occurred in the family of Mr. Hodges,
a respectable master butcher, residing in Ivy-lane. On the
4th of December last Mrs. Hodges was confined uith a fine
little girl, who, after the mother was up, received the name of
Sarah. Subsequent to the poor woman's accouchement she
became exceedingly weak and poorly, and was low-spirited
and dejected in the extreme. Within the last week her mind
has become more disordered, and on Friday last she told her
muse, a female named Harvey, that she had dreamt that the
levil had appeared to her twice and said that she must murder
her baby—that the dream had male her very unhappy, and
that she was sure she was mach r the dominion of an evil
On Sunday morning, during the absance of her husband aral
nurse, the unhappy woman put a period to her innocent infant's
existence by smothering it with some pillows; she afterwards
put the body into the copper, and filled it up with water. On
the discovery of the horrid deed Mr. Hay, a sargeon, of New-
gate-street, was called in, but all efforts to restore the life of
the child proved unavailing., the slid uentleman giving it as his
opinion that the death of the infant was caused by suffocation
before being put into the water. The wretched mother has,
ecknowl•dged the act, and says the devil prompted her to it—
she has since the sad event been i❑ a-raving state, and great
care is taken to prevent her from committing suicide. AR in-
quest has been appointed to be held on the infant.
No further authentic account appears to be obtained
s to the persons who attempted to stop the mail cart, a short
distance off Scarborough, on its way from Bridlington la t
Wednesday night week, It is supposed, however, that one
of the three men was either wounded or killed. Time will,
I probably, ere long, clear up the affair.—Hull Observer.