The Sun.
London, England, 1823-09-24 00:00:00

SLAVE TRADE.

The Anti-SlaVery Society, in the; last Re-
port, after stating that Ministers had promised to
take up the subject of slavery in the British Co-
lonies, gives the following as a generil view of
the present purposes of Government on the sub-
ject :
That the existing obstructions to manumissions, arising from
stamps or fines, or other fiscal regulations, shall be removed ;
That the slaves shall be protected by law in the possession,
and also in the transmission, by bequest or otherwise, of any
property they may acquire ;
That means shall be provided of religious instruction for the
haves, and of Christian education for their children ;—:

That the driving system shall be peremptorily and entirely
abolished, so that the whip shall no longer be the stimulant of
labour ;

That an end shall also be absolutely put to the degrading
corporal punishment of females ; and that measures shall be
taken to restrain, generally, the power of arbitrary punishment,
and to prevent its abuses;—That, the means of religious instruction being provided, the
Sundays shall be given up to the Slaves for rest, recreation, and
religious instruction and worship (Sunday markets being abo-
lished); and that equivalent time shall be allowed them, on
other days, for the cultivation of their provisiongrounds ;
That the marriage of Slaves shall be authorised, and sanc-
tioned by law; and that they shall likewise be protected in the
enjoyment of their connubial rights.
The Report adds—
In respect to the proposal of causing-the slaves to cease from
.being mere chattels, and, attaching them, under .certain modi-
ficattpns, to the soil, it was said, that whatever reform of this
kind was introduced must be prospective only, as its retrospec-
five Operation might disturb the present tenure of property, and
take away; in many cases; the only security on which money
had been advanced. The question was therefore reserved for
further cot- federation.
The admission of theleatimony of slaves in courts of justice
was also thought to be beset with so many difficulties as to re-
, quire a more deliberate investigation. At the same Jime,
Government professed themselves friendly to the principle of
admitting the testimony of slaves, , subject -only to such modifi-
cations as the interests of justice might for a time require.
The propriety of relieving negroes and persons of colour from-
die operation of that unjust principle of colonial law which
subjects them to be dealt with as slaves, unless they- shall be
able by legal proof to establish their right to freedom, was ad-
mitted ; and it was sinified that further inquiry should be
made as to the means fur granting them the requisite relief.
It was also admitted to be desirable that no Governor, Judge,
Attorney-General, or Fiscal,. nor any or the religious instruc-
tors about to.be appointed, should hold property in slaves ; and
though it might be'unfair to give to this principle a retroactive'
effect, yet that there could be no objection to its being made to
operate prospectively,.
The only remaining points were, the granting facilities to
the adult slaves to purchase their freedom ; and the liberation
from bondage of all children born after a certain day.ln
neither of these propositions have the Government When°
signified their concurrence. Indeed, to the measure of freeing
all children born after a certain day, they appeared to feel a
more decided objection than to any other that had been mug..
Bested. 'Both the points were deemed of so much moment as,
to render further information and more mature consideration
necessary, before they came to a final decision upon them.
In reviewing the resolutions adopted by Parliament, and the
declared intentions of his 'Majesty's Government, the commit-
tee sea very abundant cause of .congratulation. They feel much
gratified both by the admissions,which they involve and by the
concurrent determination which has been expressed by his Ma-
jesty's Government and by Parliament, to proceed to the im-
mediate . redress of some of the existing evils, and to secure
eventually the extinction of the very state of slavery.