The Sun.
London, England, 1840-01-23 00:00:00

No. 14.;81.

AT a MEETING of the COMMIT TEE of
the BRITISH and FOREIGN ANTI-SLAVERY
SOCIETY, held at 27, New Broad-street, on TUESDAY, the
21st of Jrnuary, 1840 ;
JOSEPH STURGE, Esq., in the Chair;

It was unanimously resolved—
That the Co nmittee of the British and Foreign Anti-Sla-
very Society, having received information that strenuous efforts
are being made to obtain the sanction of Government to a
plan for importing labourers into our late Slave Colonies, 10
be employed principally in Sugar Cultivation, have taken the
subject into deliberate consideration.
The ev,dence they have collected from authentic and im-
partial sources proves that almost uniformly, where the eman-
cipated Negro has been fairly and equitably dealt with, he has
willingly remained on the estate of his former owner, and
cheerfully performed, for very moderate wages, the most labo-
rious part of Sugar Cultivation, in many cases to an amount
exceeding what could be exacted from him under the severest
system of coercion while in a state of slavery.
The Committee have ascertained that the complaints which
are made of inability to procure a sufficiency of labour mainly
originate with those agents of non-resident proprietors, who,
from having been long accustomed to slavery, and always bit-
terly opposed, not only to its abolition, but even to its amelio-
ration, and from their habits and deep-rooted prejudices are
utterly disqualified to secure the confidence and willing industry
of free labourers.

The Committee have ascertained that the emigration which
has taken place since 1834 to our Colonies, for the purpose of
promoting Sugar cultivation, has generally been accompanied
by much fraud and injustice, as well as by dreadful mortality
to the parties who have been entrapped into it.
All the facts Collected by this Committee, but too plainly
prove that although slavery is legally abolished in our Colonies,
its spirit yet remains in full fe:ce with a large majority of the
dominant party, and that the free emigrant would find too late
that the enactment in this country, of the most impartial and
humane laws, would not save him from oppression, in the pre-
sent state of Colonial feeling, the object of those who are en-
deavouring to pi omote the proposed scheme, being too obviously
to depress the moderate and often inadequate rate of wages of
the p-esent labouring population.
The Committee cordially concur in the views hitherto ex-
pressed by the Government on this vital question, as stated in
the Order in Council, of the 7th September, 1838, regulating
contracts for labour in the Crown Colonies, in the instructions
sent out to the Governor-General, to prevent the further ex.
portation of Hill Coolies from Hindostan, and in the late
despatch of the Marquis of Normanby, disallowing the Emigra-
tion Ordinance of British Guiana, and they feel that in an in-
flexible adherence !to principles thus officially laid down her
Majesty's Ministers, are enti ad to their strenuous support.
This Committee is finally impressed with a conviction that at
the present time no general plan of emigration to the Colonies
can be proposed either by the local Legislatures or the pro-
prietary interest in this country which would net greatly en-
danger the happiness and prosperity of a community, whose
liberty has been purchased by the people of England at so
costly a sacrifice, and at the same time hazard incalculable
misery to those who might be induced to emigrate, and they
earnestly recommend to their friends and correspondents
throughout the country to be prepared to adopt active steps
to obtain an expression of public opinion on this subject, should
circumstances render it necessary.
JOSEPH STURGE, Chairman.