The Sun.
London, England, 1838-10-16 00:00:00

BARBADOES.

SPEECH OF THE GOVERNOR. ON OPENING THE
LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY, AUG. 27.

" Adverting to the successive and separate manumissions
effected with tile best intentions in numerous instances before
the Ist current, and to the fact that a large body of appren-
tices was retained in servitude until the arrival of that day, it
is easy to account for a diversity of conflicting legal pretensions
calculated to confuse and embarrass parties differently circum-
stanced on contiguous estates, and likewise to render more in-
tricate the adjustment of their claims by magisterial influence
in this colony, than in settlements where one uniform system of
emancipation has prevailed. These difficulties have been aun—
mented by the contradictory notions instilled into the minds
of the labourers, that perseverance in agricultural pursuits
would again involve them in the trammels of apprenticeship,
and yet that they might continue without the consent of the
owners upon the estates to which they bad been originally at-
tached, there to regulate the amount of their weekly labour
solely according to their own discretion.
" To the Venerable the Archdeacon and the Clergy, to
many of the magistrates, and to the officers commanding detach-
ments of troops placed (owing to the present defective and
incomplete condition of the militia and the police) at the dis-
posal of the civil authorities, I am bound to express my obli-
gation for the zealous anxiety they have evinced in contri-
buting towards the removal of these erroneous impressions,
and I particularly invite you attention to the interest in the
welfare of the country displayed on all occasions by the Lieu-
tenant-General commanding the forces, his Excellency Sir
Samford Vrhittingham.
" In justice to numbers of the peasantry who have resorted
to me for advice, I am most happy to applaud the ingenuous-
ness with which they acknowledged the misapprehensions
they had fallen into, and undertook, pursuant to my recom-
mendation, to resume their usual avocations. Similar expla-
nations, for the information as well of the proprietary body as
of the magistracy and labouring population, are in the course
of circulation through other official channels ; and although it
is the peculiar duty of the Executive at all times to protect
the public tranquillity by preventive measures, I add with
pleasure, that the circumstances of the already subsiding
partial excitement unfortunately attendant in some portions
of the rural districts on the enfranchisement of the workinge
classes, while in no degree affecting my confidence in their
loyal and honest dispositions generally have afforded little
room, if any, for surprise, and certainly none whatever I
or
alarm.
" I congratulate you most heartily on the
important event
at a community
of your first apr9aranee as the representatives

composed entirely of free subjects of the Crown, andl rely
implicitly on your liberal inclination gradually to provide for
the erection of an hospital and lunatic asylum; for the en-
couragement of industrious labourers, by the establishment of
saving-banks ; and for the furtherance of education, of reli-
gious instruction, and of such other public objects as the new
position of the colony may render it eligible and expedient to
promote. _

" On meeting the Legislative Houses, it is a source of high
satisfaction to me, in reference to a despatch which will be
laid before you from her Majesty's Principal Secretary of State
for the Colonial Department, to announce the great gratifi.
cation' with which the Queen, our august Sovereign, has been
pleased to receive the intelligence of the proceedings,' which
have terminated in the enactment, by the Legislature of Bar-
badoes,' of the Act for the Total Abolition of Apprentice-
ship, and the flattering approbation her Majesty has graciously
vouchsafed to express of the liberal and wisepolicy which has
led the Council and Assembly to the adoption of this measure.'
Consigning party dissensions to oblivion, it remains for all true
Barbadians to unite in sedulously prosecuting the career of
freedom thus propitiously opened under the Royal auspices;
and I fervently trust that through the successful maintenance
of the existing favourable relations with the British Govern-
ment your Hon. Houses will be so guided by vigorous and en-
lightened counsels as effectually to supersede the necessity of
further direct interference or, the part of the Imperial Parlia-
ment with the internal legislation of this flourishing and im-
portant colony."