The Sun.
London, England, 1829-01-24 00:00:00

It is the object of this despatch to convey to
your Excellency the strong sense which, in com-
mon with all my colleagues in office I entertain
of the obligations imposed upon his Majesty's
Government, by this solemn and reiterated en-
gagement ; and I call upon your Excellency as-
siduously to employ your endeavours to convey
the like impression to the Legislative Council
and House of Assembly of Dominica.
The specific measures of improvement which
appeared most urgent should be adopted, for
ameliorating the condition of the slave popula-
tion, have been already brought under the notice
of the several colonial legislatures in so pointed
a manner, by the despatches of my predecessors
in this office, that it might appear a needless
work if I again recommended each of them
separately to your particular attention ; and it
might seem even to imply my entertaining an
opinion, either that the colonial legislatures had
at no time been sufficiently alive to the importance.
of these specific measures, or that there existed in
the colonies so rooted an indisposition to the
introduction of some of them, that no pro-
gress had been made towards their adoption.
It is my anxious desire, however, to admit no
such unfavourable opinion of the disposition' ex-
isting in the colonies, and I shall therefore con-
fine myself in a great measure at present, to
calling back your attention to the reso:ntions of
Parliament, adverting incidentally only to their
specific application by particular cnactmenis.
And I adopt this course the more willingly, be-
cause I think it possible that the protracted dis-
cussions which have occurred upon this import-
ant question may have generated an opposition,
the result rather of diversity of opinion upon par-
ticular points than arising from any want of com-
mon assent to the principles laid down in the re-
solutions of the two Houses of Parliament,
which must form the basis of all wise legislation
on the subject, and which reason and humanity
equally recommend.
There are two objects, for the attainment of
which it is necessary that effectual provision
should be made. The first of them is, the gra-
' dual elevation of the moral character of the
slave population ; and the second is, the due
protection of all the just rights of property, which
existing laws have vested in the owners of slaves.
I am perfectly aware that there may be found
many very respectable persons in whose minds
the force of prejudice, or the influence of habit,
and perhaps also a too restrictive view of their
own individual interests, may have established a
conviction, that the objects above mentioned are
wholly incompatible ; rind that a choice must at
once be made between the positive sacrifice of
the right of property -on the one hand, or a po-
sitive denial on the other, of the advantages
which humanity has sought to obtain for the
slaves.

The steps, however, which have been already
taken in several of the colonies, and the pro-
()Tess which has been so happily made in some
of them, towards the amelioration of the condi-
tion of the slaves, induce me to conclude that
the extreme opinions which I have above advert-
ed to are not very generally entertained, and lead
me, at the same time, to form the expectation,
—I trust not too sanguine a one,—that the
example of those :colonies which have advanced
the farthest, without any detriment having result-
ed from their liberal lines of policy, will persuade
others that it is possible to imitate without risk
their laudable proceedings.
But although I am disposed to believe, that
motives of sound and enlightened policy, as well
as those of a more sacre and more elevated
character, will induce gentlemen holding the
station of members of the local legislatures, as
well as other individuals possessed of influence
in the colonies, to lend a favourable ear to the
repeated appeals which have been made to their
judgment and to their feelings upon this most
important and interesting subject, it would be
improper, however, to omit stating, that there
are also other calls upon them, which render
every day more and more urgent, as a matter of
necessary policy, the ameliorating the condition
of the slave population. For it can scarcely be
doubted, that of the two alternatives, that of
withholding amelioration, and that of effectually
improving. the condition and character of slaves,
the latter is one which holds out by far the best
prospect, under the existing circumstances of the
world, for general tranquillity, and for the security
of property in the colonies.
Although it be my intention, as I have already
stated to your Excellency, not to enter into a
detailed view of each of the individual measures
which have been already so often and so urgently
pressed upon the attention of the Colonial Le-
gislatures by my predecessors, I must advert
pointedly, however, to a few, which I deem to
be of peculiar importance. The first of these is
the religious instruction of the slaves.
It must be obvious to every man capable of
reflection, that, independently of the sacredness
of the obligation which requires that no impedi-
ments should be placed in the way of their ac-
quiring a knowledge of the great truths of reli-
gion, there is no more certain mode of advancing
their civilization without detriment or danger to
society at large, than by religious instruction.
It is necessary, however; that this important ob-
i,ct should not be intrusted solely to individuals,
that provision should likewise be made for
it by law, in order to guard against the injury
which society would sustain, by the want in any
one of a just sense of its importance. Amongst
,the enactments which will suggest themselves
upon this subject, there is none which appears
more proper, more becoming in itself, or which
it is more incumbent upon the legislatures of
every Christian country to enforce, than the-clue
observance of Sunday. It is most desirable,
therefore, that Sunday should be, to the slave
population in alr the colonies, 'a day of entire re.