The Sun.
London, England, 1840-06-25 00:00:00

to get from the advocates of oppression in England as
from the juries of the Island of Jitsaica.—( Hear, bear. )
And the houses for which these people were thus charged
were those which they hail erected themselves while they
were slaves, and if there were any comforts in them, they
were solely of their own procuring. In reference to this
subject he would mention on•e instance that had been re-
lated, to show the working of the Petty Debt Bill. A❑
old woman was summered for rent to the amount of
8/. 13s. 4,1., which they were prepared to show was more
than the house was worth, and she was condemned to pay
the amount, with costs, though she was not worth so many
shillings, and too old to labour to obtain it. The re:v.
step would be to send her to prison ; and Mr. Clark (his
informant) said, that if they should proceed to this, he
would have her placed at his asylum called Clarksonville,
and raise a subscription to pa) the damages in this and
similar cases.—(Cheers.) The next law to which he
would refer was the Vagrant Act, and on this
he was sure the Assembly would allow him
to expatiate a few minutes.— ( Hear.) They had
already seen bow the negroes were amerced in damages—
how they were, at a week's notice, turned out of their
houses, and whatever violence might be used, were without
redress, except by appealing to an expensive court. He
would now show them how, having got the negroes out of
their houses, and turned them unprovided fur upon the
world, they came with a Vagrant Act to catch them, and
enacted, „that if any person who shall be deemed a rogue
and vagabond shall be found wandering abroad, and lying
in any outhouse or shed, or any deserted or uninhabited
building, it shall be lawful for any justice of the peace to
commit such offender on his own view, or by the confession
of such offender, or on the evidence of one or more wit-
nesses, to the house of correction, or to the public streets
or highways, there to be kept to hard labour for any time
not exceeding sixty days." Now, it had been asserted
that there was no mention here of chains or whips ; but he
asked those who framed the Apprenticeship Act,
in which chains and whips were omitted, whether
they intended that the ingenuity of the planters
should be employed in framing bye-laws by which they
could flog females ?—( Cheers ) Yet the first sight he
saw on landing in Jamaica, after the arrival of that act,
was a number of females chained like dogs, and the first
victim of the treadmill, a female member of his own
church, who, though stated by the surgeon, to be ill,
was condemned to labour on it.—(Shame, shame.)
Therefore, (said Mr. Knibb) trust them not all ; or you
may tract them if you like, I never will.—( Cheers.)
Speaking of these gaols, of one of them near the resi-
dence of Sir Charles Metcalf, who signed those laws, it
was reported that " the platform on which the prisoners
slept, is filthy, loathsome, and disgusting in the extreme."
Let but a person who has lived in a cottage, have the
misfortune to be locked up in one of the rooms of this
gaol, and not only will his body be infested with all sorts
of vermin, but he will run no little risk of being attacked
with putrid fever.---( Hear, hear.) And with respect to
chains, an order was lately issued to assimilate these to
those used in the prisons in England, on which it was
asked, whether the present chains were not sufficiently
elegant for the. purpose.—( Hear, hear.) Now, what did
they say ? They would say anything to suit their pur-
pose.—( Hear, hear.) They were in that respect the
legitimate children of him, who was pronounced to be the
Father of Lies.—( Cheers.) How did they show their
disregard of the truth and justice to him (Mr. K.) him-
self? When he had been accused of theft and other
crimes, he prosecuted his calumniator. In one case the
Grand Jury, composed of the plantocracy, ignored the
bills. In another, the Jury, in the teeth of the evidence,
and contrary to the direction ofthe Chief Justice, acquitted
the defendant--( Hear, hear)--and a piece of plate was
presented to that man for his services to the colony.--
( Shame, shame.) Bud as were the laws they were rendered
still worse by their administration.---( Hear.) Whatever
laws were made, if the planters were to administer them,
gross and palpable isjustice would be the result.—( Hear,
hear.) He was about to return to Jamaica, and to face
the plantocracy.—(Cheers.) He was not going to oppose
them by war or violence. But there were 2,000,0(10 of
acres of waste lands, and the friends of humanity
had directed that their purse strings should be opened for
the cultivation (as we understood) of those lands by the
negroes —( Appl,.use.) He did not ask them to give their
money, but only to lend it—and let the blind-minded pro-
prietors of Jamaica and in this country look to the conse-
quences, if they adhered to the present system,—(Hear,
hear.) He would desire to preserve their estates, and to
see them flourishing ; but if he could not have freedom in
the valleys, where slavery had been abolished, he would
seek it in the hills, which God had left for his people.--
(Cheers.) He apologised for having so long occupied the
meeting.—( Loud cries of " Go, on.") But he would
conclude by declaring that he wanted freedom for his
people, and he would not rest until he had obtained ft.—
( Loud and lone continued cheering. )
The Rev. Mr. SCALES said that the next speaker came
from a strange place—the House of Assembly of Jamaica.
—(Cheers, and great laughter.) It would be Mr. W.
W. Anderson, who whilst a Member of that Assembly had
been faithful amongst the faithless.._( Great applause. )
Mr. ANDERSON, (who was greeted with renewed and
universsl applause,) said he had great pleasure in support-
ing, as far as he could, the resolution which be held in his
let-:d. He had spent seven years in Jamaica, and he had
had ample opportunities of observing the operation and
administration of the law s.—( Hear, hear.) He would
not at that late }icier occupy the meeting by going into
details ; but he would entrm at those who were interested
in property in Jamaica, if any such were present, to Le-
bevy, that if the present laws were persevered in, or if
the administration of any laws were to b. left to the
planters, the consequence must be, the destruction of that
property. If the stipendiary Magistrates were done away
with, (and that was an object at present eagerly sought
toe in Jamaica,) the consscpence would be ruinous to the
proprieters of property there.—( Hear, hear.) He ad-
mitted that some of the stipendiary Magistrates had been
faithless,. but a great many of them had performed their
duty, is spite of temptation, persecution, and insults.
The CKAIRMAN here rose and expressed his regret at
being obligi d to retire fr.m the meeting, in consequence
of a pressure of other business. Ile wished, before levy-
ing, to congratulate them of the rroceedings of that
day. He trusted that they had laid the foundations of
permanent good, not only to the slaves, of Africa, but of
..very other country, and that in those where the fruits of
oppression only had hitherto grown, they would, by their
Tat.; have ktroduccd the laurels of freedom—( Hear.)
Wm. EVANS, Esq.; M. P , was then called to the Chair
amidst the cheers of the meeting.
Mr. JAMES STANFIELD, of Belfast, rose to move the
next resolution. He would not at that hour occupy the
time of the mectieg by any attempt at eloquence, but
would merely read the resolution which had been put into
hands, feeling assured that it would speak for itself, and
that it would meet wi.h the same concurrence as all the
other propositions which had been submitted to their con-
sideration. Mr. Stanfield then moved the resolution,
Which was to the effect " That this Meeting is greatly ani-
mated by the response which the friends of the cause, time
Abolitionists from other countries as well as from all parts
of the United Kingdom, have made to the call of this So-
ciety to the GeLeral Convention which has just closed its
highly interesting and important labours."
Mr. STAUNTON, a delegate from New York, came for-
ward to second the resolution. He was announced to the
meeting as the Secretary to the American and Foreign
Anti-Slavery Society, and as one who was justly consi-
dered as the George Thompson of the United States._
(Cheers.) Mr. Staunton said that he felt great pleasure
in secondieg the resolution. He hoped, however, they
would pardon him for say ing that he should show his sym-
pathy for the oppressed, and his anxious desire that they
sli.eatd be set free, by not troubling them with a single
remark.—( Hear, hear.) He would merely move the
adoption or the resolution.
The resolution was then put and unanimously agreed to.
Dr. MADDEN, late of Cuba, moved the next resolution,
" hat the Treasurer, Seereti ry, Honorary and Curres
pending Members and Committee, he re-appointed for the
ensuing year, subject to a provision, that any member of
the Committee not attendine it six times between this
annual meeting and that of next year, be not re-elected in
1841. That this meeting would strongly urge the for-
mation of Auxiliary Societies where none are already in
existence, and earnestly recommends to all auxiliaries to
promote [Ladiesl Associations within their respective dis-
tricts." He would make but one observation In proposing
the resolution, and that was, that it would be a great error
to suppose that their exertions were now unnecessary.
He could say, from his own experience, that they were
never more requisite than at present.—( Hear, hear.) The
slave trade, so far from havieg diminished of late years,
in our colonies had in many of them greatly increased,
and in some to the extent of 20 per cent. He would
conclude by observing that there were two principal ways
of removing this state of things; the first was, by steadily
depreciating slavery ; and the next was, by denouncing
the characters of slay, -holders and slave-traders.
The Rev. J. KENNEDY, of Aberdeen, seconded the mo-
tion. The preceding speaker had omitted one word,
through inadvertence, in reading the resolution. It was
the word " Ladies."—( Hear, hear.) The Auxiliary So-
cieties were recommended to promote " Ladies' Associa-
tions in their respective districts."
The resolution, as amended, was then put, and unani-
mously agreed to.
-The Meeting here manifested its impatience to hear
Mr G. Thomson, by repeatedly calling for him.
The CHAIRMAN said that their desire to hear Mr.
Thompson was a very natural one; but he was informed
that that gentleman was not then present.
Several Voices—Yes, he is here.
Mr. G. TIIOMPSON then came forward, amidst repeated
cheers. He bad appeared solely in consequence of their
kind partiality; but he was not only unprepared to
speak, but unwilling to do so under the circumstances
in which they were then placed. The British Members
of the Society had invited their foreign friends to a tea-
party at the Crown and Anchor Tavern at six o'clock, at
which he and others should attend. As it was then four
o'clock, and as there were other resolutions to be sub-
mitted to their consideration, it was clear that he could

not then tresspasa en their time. He had besides been
anxious on that day that they should not have separated
without hearing the voices of some foreign friends around
him, who would. pei haps, never again have an opportunity
of preventing them from listening to so humble an indi-
vidual as he was:—( Hear, hear.) He would conclude by
assuring them that he hoped he should again appear before
them, and that he was still as ardent as ever in the cause
which they had patrr.nized by their presence that day.

Mr. WAYMOUTII, of London, moved " That the warmest
and most respectful thanks of this meeting be given to his
Royal Highnessthe Duke of Sussex for his kindly accept-
ing the chair, and for his readiness on this and on all oc-
casions to promote the advancement of the cause of hu-
manity and freedom. And that the cordial thanks of this

meeting be also given to Sir Eardley Wilmot, Bart., for
his conduct in the chair subsequently to the retirement of
his Royal Highness.'.'
Mr. Justice JEREMY seconded the resolution.
The resolution was put and unanimously agreed to.
The CIJAIRMAN said he concurred with them in the vote
of thanks to his Royal Highness the Duke of Sussex, and
he thanked them for their vote to Sir Eardley anti
Ho bcp,d tita tie meeting of that day would ha
attcuded with resui would ittioico them all. His I