The Sun.
London, England, 1847-10-22 00:00:00

THE WEST INDIES.

(V. . i,

Q c)c)

4 It .1 I C;t:
mention of the arrival at St. George's of Governor
Reid on a tour of inspection.
An " Act for establishing a Public Library and
Museum" had passed the Island Legislature. Great
credit is due to Governor Reid for the interest he has
taken in establishing similar institutions in the islands
under his government. On the occasiod of his Ex-
cellency's addressing the Barbadoes House of Assem-
bly, recommending a similar measure for that island,
he made the following enlightened remarks :
" The Governor is convinced, after many years'
reflection on the subject, that such institutions as pub
lic libraries, to which every one may have access, will
be productive of great benefit in whatever West India
islands they may be established.
" Public libraries, in a high degree useful in all
countries, are especially wanted in small and remote
islands. Their establishment will at once give a for-
ward movement to general education. They will
afford means to enable the young, after gaining the
elements of instruction in the schools, to follow up
that advantage by self-instruction throughout life."
The lengthened drought and oppressive heat form
subjects of complaint in this as well as most of the
other islands. A shock of earthquake had been ex-
perienced, which, though of considerable duration,
was not severe.

The St. Vincent House of Assembly had been dis-
solved by the Lieutenant-Governor, in consequence
of repeated adjournments of the House, owing to the
non-attendance of sufficient members to transact
business. Writs for the new House were issued, re-
turnable on the 19th of October.

A dispatch from Earl Grey was laid before the
House, disallowing the bounty on Madeirian immi-
grants (as in the case of Demerara and Trinidad)
from June to October, in consequence of the alleged
unhealthiness of those months.
Two fires had occurred on estates within a fort-
night, both of which were supposed to be the acts of
incendiaries.

The St. Lucia Palladium, of the 28th ult., mentions
the re-instatement of Mr. Atthill, who was suspended
about three months since from the Attorney-General-
ship of St. Lucia, for his alleged authorship of certain
scurrilous articles which appeared in a portion of the
local press.
The following remarks on the weather are from
the same paper :
" The island has been deluged with rain during the
last month, and yet the temperature has been at times
intolerably close and sultry. There has been no
wind of consequence for the time of the year; but
several shocks of earthquakes have been experienced,
of which the smartest occurred at about a quarter to
four P.M. on the Ist instant. The plantations must
have derived great benefit from the showers that
have fallen."

The "Dominica Colonist, of 28th of August, has
the following items of news :
" EARTHQUAKE.—Rather a smart shock of earth-
quake was felt a little before six o'clock on Sunday
morning last, which continued considerably longer
than those usually experienced in this island. We
have been informed that about the same time a severe
shock was felt at Marie Galante, which destroyed a
church, and did some other injury in that place
Another shock occurred here between two and three
o'clock on Monday morning. It is said that several
slight ones were distinctly felt during the day on
Sunday.
" THE WEATIIER.—The weather, since our last
publication, has been most favourable to the planter.
We have had almost continuous heavy showers
during the week. There has been much thunder and
lightning.
" The sloop Princess Alice left this port for An-
tigua on Sunday morning ; the same night when, off
the Saints, she was struck by lightning—the mast
was shivered to splinters by the electric fluid, which
passed into the hold and forced a hole through the
bow. She put back, and had much difficulty in
reaching Prince Ruperts. 'The vessel has since re-
turned to this harbour to refit. We have not heard
that any of the crew were injured."
From the Trinidad Standard, of September 4, we
learn that the weather during the past month had
been very favourable for the crops, and an abundance
of rain had fallen. Mention is made, however, of
excessive heat, and of the prevalence of a catarrhal
epidemic, " assuming, in the cases of children at-
tacked by it, the form of hooping-cough."
We quote the following produce report from the
Spectator :
" During the fortnight subsequent to our last state-
ment there has been a pretty fair quantity of pro-
duce shipped to the different ports of Britain from
this island. Of sugar there has been up-
wards of 1,200 hogsheads, besides a small cargo to
America. The exports entered up to a late hour to-
day are the following : Sugar, 24,853 hogsheads,
1,838 tierces, 5,676 barrels; molasses, 9,903 hogs-
heads, 341 tierces; rum, 389 puncheons ; cocoa,
28,406 cwt. lqr. 111 b.; coffee, 915 cwt. 2qrs. 51b. ;
cotton, 41 serons. Six British vessels have arrived
in the same period, four with general cargoes from
Britain, and two in ballast from Demerara, so that
we suppose lack of shipping here can hardly now be
complained of."

Barbadoes papers (to the 7th inst.) received by the
packet inform us that the distressing drought which
prevailed so long in that island had been succeeded
by more genial weather. We copy from the Globe
the following report of the Leeward District
Society :

" The month of August commenced with showers,
which continued light until the 27th, when a general
rain was experienced throughout the district, followed
by moderate rains until the end of the month. These,
although not sufficient to put water in the ponds, ex-
ercised a very sensible influence upon the young
canes.
" The month, on the whole, must be pronounced
favourable, but owing to the extreme dryness of the
land the earlier showers did not produce much vege-
tation.
" The change in the weather has enabled the
planter to get most of his preparations completed,
and in some instances the manure has been applied
to the land, this early application being limited to its
advocates.
" The potato crop is very flourishing, and potatoes
are now to be obtained in the district abundantly at
two dollars per 100 lb.
" The Indian corn is much below an average crop,
and but a small quantity has been reaped as yet, which
has been disposed of at two dollars per bushel.
" The pasture lands have assumed a very verdant
appearance, but the cattle have not as yet shown
much improvement; they have, however, been rt..
lieved by the small supply of water which has lodged
in the water bolts."
The West Indian, of September 2, says—
We e
o congratulateera
generally, on
h
countryur t
eramswhich
friends,
have
and,
a fallen'indeed, s e readers,i,uesd ga y
ouri
c heartily
last. We trust that the
showers of last night and this morning have been
general, and that the saffron aspect of the cane and
provision fields will soon give place to nature's ver-
dant clothing."
The following is the quantity of produce shipped to
the 6th of September :
Ilhds. Tres. Bris.
Sugar ... 31,108 ... 1,686 ... 2,0281
Puns. Hhds. Brls.
Molasses ... 4,779 ... 238 ... 43
Arrowroot, 644 packages ; ginger, 334 packages ;
cotton, 346 bales; aloes, 559 gourds.
From our Montego Bay papers we learn that the
favourable showers with which the parish has been
visited bids fair to restore the perishing vegetation,
which had begun to create despair of the success of
the next season's produce. As these showers are more
durable and weighty than the few in August, which
were usually dried up by the heat of the succeeding
day, there is some reason to augur well from their
auspicious and timely visitation.
fldVroeuagrhe t btahpep y
parish to la e
orfnthat
T relafter a
wn longcontinuance
y has
as also,
within
the
last and present week, been visited by the most co-
plr,us and fertilising showers of rain. The altered
look of the vegetation of the country, and its present
verdant appearance, give room for hope to the planter
of an abundant harvest, which we trust may be most
fully and effectually realised.

UNEMPLOYED COMPOSITORS OF LONDON. •—• A
general meeting of the unemployed compositors of
London was held yesterday at the Falcon Tavern,
Gough-square, to receive a report from the committee
and audit the accounts. The chairman, in a few preli-
minary remarks, alluded to the generally satisfactory
result of the delegated meeting of the previous evening,
and expressed a hope that at the ensuing general meet-
ing of the trade all differences and difficulties at present
existing, would be satisfactorily arranged. The report
of the proceedings of the committee was then read, from
which it appeared that the public appeal made on behalf
of the unemployed had been readily responded to in many
quarters, and promises of future aid received from seve-
ral influential offices and individuals. It was also stated
that owing to the handsome, and in some instances unso-
licited assistance Oven by the public journals, upwards of
20,000 copies of their appeal had met the public eye,
from which considerable benefit had resulted. Nearly
two hundred persons had been temporarily relieved on
Tuesday last, and there was every probability that
another distribution of the funds would take place early
in the ensuing week. Mr. Shand proposed that the re-
port should be received, and a vote of thanks be passed
to the committee, which wss carried unanimously.
Several suggestions were thrown out for adoption by the
committee, and amongst others, that a public entertain-
ment should take place in aid of the funds, which it is
intended to carry out. A vote of thanks was then
passed to the press in general, for their generous assist-
ance in the cause, after which the meeting broke up.

NEWSPAPERS.—A. farmer was asked'why he did not
take in a newspaper. " Because (said he) my father,
when he died, left me a good many newspapers, and I
have no: read them through yet."

BRITISH ANTI-STATE CHURCH
ASSOCIATION.

of the ininbers and friends of
the British Anti-State Church Association for the
liberation of religion from all state interference was
held yesterday evening►, at the London Tavern. The
large room devoted to the purposes of the meeting was
filled to repletion, there being nearly 800 per-
sons present, of whom a considerable portion
seemed to be highly respectable females; and the
crowded state of the apartment, and the heat con-
sequent upon such an asS,_ mhlnk•e, had no effect in
diminishing the enthusiasm and Patience of those who
listened to all the proceedings to the close with un-
abated interest.

Dr. T. PRICE t( ok the chair at half-past six o'clock,
and in opening the proctedingrl, observed that the
meeting should have b: en he'd in Exeter Hall but
that the proprietors had refit ed to allow them the use
of the large room, on the sole ground that it was not
befitting or expedient that this society should be per-
mitted to hold their mettiTig there.—(Cries of " Oh,
oh," and "Shame.") Hyt they beenpermitted to
occupy the hall, he bad no it would
have been as completely filed as was the apart-
ment in which they were then so unsuit-
ably placed.—(Cheers.) In a speech which was
attentively listened to, and consi lerably applauded,
the chairman proceeded to adlress the meeting in
elucidation of the circumstances which had led to the
formation of the society, and of the objects which it
had in view, as well as the means by which they
were to be effected. The opposition to the Minutes
of Council was founded on the belief that those mi-
nutes were designed to set up through the country a
junior ecclesiastical establishment.—(Cheers.) It was
true that the opposition was as yet unsuccessful, but
all true-hearted men were gathering to supportit, and
it would not be long before they would see it triumph-
ant. But the elections had told their tale. Men were
compelled to think on those principles which consti-
tuted the real and only basis of civil and religious
liberty, and the elections had given them an opportu-
nity of recording their opinions. The first debate of
St. Stephen's would show how far those elections had
gone to establish civil and religious liberty. The
association was established for the purpose of indoc-
trinating the popular mind, and was- determined in
! every constitutional mode to press its views, of which
no one could doubt the ultimate success.—(Hear.)
The Rev. J. BURNET proposed the first resolution :
—" That in the judgment of this meeting every com-
pulsory, method of sustaining or extending religious
institutions involves a departure from the practice of
the primitive Christian churches, and an obvious
violation of the genius of the Gospel, and that in
seeking by peaceful and moral means the removal of
every such institution within these realms from a
compulsory to a voluntary basis, the British Anti-
State Church Association aims at an object worthy the
sympathy and support of all who are interested in the
welfare of their country, and the advancement of re-
ligion."—(Cheers.) The Rev. Gentleman, who was
received with great enthusiasm, addressed himself to
prove that the assertions of the resolution were borne
out by reason and truth, that the primitive Christians
did not employ or approve of the sustainment or ex-
tension of Christianity by compulsory means, and
that the terms of the Gospel are equally opposed to
their use ; but the details of his argument were so
strictly theological as scarcely to be suitable to our
columns, and so close in their connexion as to render
abridgment impossible. Commencing with the
institution of tithes, as traceable for the tenths
paid to Melchisedec by Abraham, and enlarging
on the difference of the o'd and the new dispensaL
tion, and thence fixing on the text " My kingdom is not
of this world," he procetded in an address which
partook of the char:), tee of a po'itico-polernico ora-
tion, and of an argumentative sermon, to show that
compulsory paymt tits to the Church could not be sup-
ported by the Obi, nor am), oved of by the New
Testament. In conclusion he disclaimed any wish
to injure the Estab!!sla d Cl.tth, but declared that
all his efforts would he dirrcted to produce a separa-
tion between it and tie Sate, under the conviction
that such a measure wouid be most conducive to the
interests of both.—(Checr, )
Mr. SCOBLE secondol the resolution, which was
carried with one disset,tient.

~..._____ ........
Colonel THOMPSON, M. P., came forward to propose
the second resolution, among gr. at demonstrations of
favour- on the part of the nwering :—" That this
meeting is convinced that, owing to a variety of con-
current causes, amongst the most prominent of which
may be mentioned the ecclesiastical character of
several measures submitted to the Legislature during
the last Parliament, and the position taken by Non-
conformist electors at the late general election—the
people are prepared to welcome instruction on the
question of politico-religious establishments; and this
meeting 'therefore rejoices in the assurance that the
executive committee of the British Anti-State Church
Association are taking vigorou3 steps for diffusing
through the community sound views on this most
important subject." In proposing this resolution he
had come among them to assist in their endeavours to
put an end to the Established Church—the great
reproach of modern times and of a free country.—
(Cheers.) He stood before them returned to Par-
liament because of the exertions of the people, and
of their determination to do away with that re-
proach.—(Cheers.) The Reverend Gentleman
(Mr. Burnet) had told them a good deal about
tithes and about Melchisedec, but would he tax his
antiquarian knowledge a little and tell them if after
Abraham paid tithes to Melchisedec the latter had
gone and taxed Abraham with church-rates besides.—
(Great cheers and laughter.) He had never heard a
more monstrous fallacy than had been used in defence
of these rates—that men bought their property with
their eyes open when it was subject to the rates before
the purchase. When such arguments as these were
used it behoved the people to insist on refuting and
annulling the absurdity.—
(Hear hear.) They could
not, it was said, stand a revolution every twelve
months, and it, therefore, behoved them to do their
work as well and as quickly as possible.—(Cheers.)
As a member of a university he could not help think-
ing that the advantages they afforded should not be
wearye observed.iu which
some
He of
recollected the withheld from Dissenters. Universities were not so
exclusive as was supposed. After a little opposition
they
sotjudge
much from
valued t he w
they would retire with a good grace; at least if he
migh
when he was taking his dhe heard one of
his fellow-students saying egr.ee that
something
about the
Thirty-nine Articles. ~ vhn to take them ?"
asked he. "Oh you have signede are we
them." "I! how
forms
was that ? " "Don't you re ember
a
man came to
you with a book and s ii.i ' 13ill'd ' ? That was the
Thirty-nine Artiel,s;
___,(it 4 '
"ars of .
laughter.) He
hoped, at all events, to se university
established.—(No State ni.el, a Dissenting
did not want
it.—(Cheers.) t '
--c h"ped ti,), No;
' he
would per-
severe until every rz,,y of civil(lii.:2l''symal or religious,
was removed; and at rIl! time by 't--
theterms of his
compact, he wa, bound ro inhene.' struggle their
Such a
ready and willing i
.usti omen ..
r... ( Cheers.)
The Rev. H. HINT. IN ..er.or, i,lthere
resolution, and
proceeded to develop the meaning of it, more parti-
cularly in a pecuniary point v 4. aW as
, the associa-
tion would be involv'el il g ':
' I-
p se by the ac-
tive measures which t
-' tyi .itrit',lit,Vd Expense
adopt in the
ensuing year. He W"I.I 11-iVe 'lwithheld his vote from
Lord John Russell had tie houtiti town; and it was
quite true that if the No .con!ormists had been let
play their own game w ithot,t b,;ng opposed by the
Tories, he would have bf ta °listed by the former.
The reverend gentleman 11( xt adverted to the neces-
sity of attending to their political power. He did
not care a straw about arguing with a Member of
Parliament ; all he wanted to do was to convince his
constituents, and he could very well tell how the
member would vote.—(Cheers.) Let the association
persevere, and at last its voice would be heard and its
power felt. Let them renew their
exertions, and in
no long time the papers it published would cease to
be passed over by Honourable Alembers in silence,
and they would open and rub their Puppy eyes when
they saw them on the library t,
table, an taly, like
Cowper's dog, to comprehend thena.—(Ched ers.)
The CHAIRMAN, in submitting the resolution to the
meeting, stated that the association Was already in
communication with various gentlemen in different
parts of England, whither they proposed sending de-
' putations, to commence ,on 111 on
~day
next. Since he
took the chair he had received an offer from a gentle-
man to make one of fifty to subscribe 50/. each, or
one of one hundred to subscribe 100/. to the associa-
tion.—(Cheers.)
Mr. J. H. TILLETT (who was introduced to the
meeting as secretary to the electoral League of Nor-
folk) proposed the third and last resolution, which
was as follows :..--.41 That, to the fullest extent which
the constitution of the country will admit of, it is de-
sirable to associate with correct views of this and
' other questions, the possession of political power ;
and this meeting, therefore, earnestly recommend the
supporters of religious equality to strengthen their
hands for the next great electoral contest, by a
•
• careful attention to the registration of voters in every
f part of the kingdom, and by
promoting in every legi-
timate way, the acquisitiof
was to get a certain Act of Parliament, declaring
the independence of the Church passed by the
Legislature. The right way to effect that would
be to influence the Houses of Parliament ; an 3 to
do that, no way was so effectual as to procure
political power. The extension of the franchise was
the real object to be secured in the first instance, and
then the wall between the people and the aristocracy
n of t
ld heounty franchise,
P by the purchase of 40s. Their object
creehos.”
would be broken down for ever. —(Great cheering.)
Then the difference which existed between the force
of public opinion and of the elective body would
cease also. The speLker then, adverted to the origin
of tithes, and establi-hed the dilemma that the Esta-
blishment denied their right to them either by
prescription, the Church
pre-
scription or sta.uv—if l'!'
' should then perforni thq tirt,s(3 and ceremonies for
which tithes were ,riiii:ally given (as the speaker