Star.
London, England, 1831-05-25 00:00:00

THE BRITISH WEST INDIES.

While we have been contending for redress of grievances
at home, a similar spirit has extended to our West India
Colonists. It seems that a species of West India Parliament
has been assembled at Barbados, composed of representatives
from all the islands ; and after prolonged deliberations, on
the first of March, they agreed to the following Paper, which
professes to contain a correct statement of the difficulties of
the Islands. It is remarkable at once for its clearness and
good temper, and cannot therefore fail to direct the future
policy of the government.
At a meeting of the following Gentlemen, appointed at public meet..
lags in the respective colonies, to which their names are annexed, vin
—Barbados--The Honorable. John Rycroft Best and Jonph William
Jordan. Antigua—Colonel F. F. Brown and Owen Pell, Esq.
Demerara and Essequibo—Peter Rose and John G. Reed, Ewe.
Dominica—The Honorable Dugald Lidless, (Esq. Grenacia--The
Honorable John Hoye. and Robert Stronach, Req. Nevis—The
Honorable Finlay Nicholson. St. Christopher—Walter Williamson,
Esq. and Lieutenant C. Claxton, R.N. St. Vincent—The Honorable
Sir William Sleuth, Bt. and Michael White, Esq. Tobego—Angus
Campbell and Charles Gray, &qrs. The Virgin Islands.—Henry
Iles Woodcock, Req.
Which meeting was held at Bridge-Town, Barbados, on the lit day
of March, 1831, and several subsequent days.
The honourable John Rycroft Best, in the Chair.
It was resolved.—Mkt these Colonies are now, and have been for
some time past, labouring under multiplied difilculties and Notenew
meats.

That whilst every other !Monet of the empire has been relieved from
the et the war duties, the West India Colonists, after a period
of yam of peace, still tabour under mambas imposed apes the
staple articles of their produce imported into Groat Wtala, which

ought, in justice, to have ceased with the necessity that gave the to
them.

That another prominent cause of dismiss is, the decisive advantage
given to the foreign cultivators of sugar, by their continuation of the
African Slave Trade,
That the inhabitants of these colonies contemplate with the most
serous apprehension the effect which the reiterated clamours of a power-
ful, designing, and interested party are calculated to produce on the
deliberations of Parliament, and the measures of Government, with re.
ference to the question of colonial slavery, and the avowed determina-
tion of this party to ere in the continuance of their hostile mea-
sures, until they shall involved in confusion, and ultimately in
ruin, all classes of society in this part of the British empire.
That they protest most solemnly against any spoliation of, or in-
terference with their property, which they hold by a right as sacred as
the public creditor his claim on the national funds—the highest or
lowest subject in the United Kingdom, his lands, his mansion, or his
cottage—or any Corporate body their chartered rights.
That this right of property has been sanctioned by various Acts of
Parliament, encouraging their ancestors to embark their capital, their
industry, and their fortunes, in the settlement of lands, on the express
condition of cultivating them by the labour of slaves imported into
these colonies by British subjects. That the consequences of this traffic
are not now to be charged against the character of the West India
colonists, whose principal share in the transaction has been that of
civilizing, and bringing to order and comparative comfort, persons
brought into the colonies in a state of barbarism.
That out of the settlement and cultivation of the West India colonies
has arisen a commercial intercourse, amply supplying the mother coun-
try with colonial produce, giving employment to upwards of jour hum.
dred thousand tons of shipping, and more than beauty thousand seamen,
diffusing immense wealth among her people, and contributing millions
to the public revenue.
That the existence of Slavery and of Property in, or connected with,
and depending upon Slaves in the West Indies, having been thus ere-
ated by Great Britain for her own objects and benefit, and having beds
recognized and guaranteed by repeated Acts of Parliament and deci.
*ions of the highest law authorities, any attempt to injure or destroy
property so sanctioned, is a gross violation of every principle of law and
justice, unless full and complete indemnification for all losses which may
arise, and all injuries which may be sustained by any changes in such pro-
perty, shall have been previously provided at the expense of the nation in
general.
That the inhabitants of the West Indies have, by their efforts to im-
prove the condition of the Slave, already raised him far above his origi-
nal state of barbarism, have placed him in possession of comparative
comfort, have invested him with privileges and immunities, and are
gradually proceeding to quality him for a larger participation in the ad-
vantages of civilised life.
That a petition be presented to his Majesty from the deputies as.
sembled for themselves and on behalf of their constituents, the inhabi-
tants of these colonies, humbly praying that his Majesty would be gra-
ciously plerved to exert his Royal Authority, in order to avert the
destruction with which they were threatened.
That petitions be prepared and presented to both Houses of Parlia-
ment, embracing the general objects of this Meeting.
That Memorials setting forth the present distressed state-of the West
India Interests and the causes thereof, and praying that such relief may
be promptly afforded as the circumstances of the case require, be pre.
sented to the Lords of the Treasury and the Board of Trade.
During the stay of the Deputies in Barbados, tho inhabi-
tants gave them a splendid ball, on the 15th of March. The
account in the Barbados paper shows that, whether east or
west, warm climate confers equal warmth on style.
On Tuesday evening, the Grand Ball given by the inhabitants of
Barbados, in honour of the deputies from the sister colonies, took place
at King's-house. In the course of our life it has often times fallen to
our lot to witness many a fate, where the " fair women and brave
men" of the mother country were gathered together in pride and
beauty—but never did we see the splendid pageant of that night
equalled, far less excelled, either as regards the importance of ths oc-
casion that gave rise to it—the extensive scale of the preparations—the
finished style of the arrangements—the exquisite taste of the decora-
tions—or the bewitching loveliness of the sylph-like beings who had
assembled, as well to chase the glowing hours with flying feet,' as to
cheer with their approbation the labours of the talented and enlightened
gentlemen, to whom has been entrusted their country's interests and
their country's fame, and from whose exertions so much is so sangu-
inely and so justly expected. About eight o'clock the company began
to assemble, who, on entering the hall, were all received by the stew. ,
anis and conducted to one of the ball-rooms, where every accommoda-
tion had been provided for them. The ball was opened by his Excellency
the governor and Miss Beckles—Lady patroness, Mrs. Beckles. At ten
o'clock 500 were present, when the spacious apartments presented
a glorious coup At the end of the lower suite, a supper table
was laid, fraught with the spoils of earth and air, and groaning beneath
the weight of every delicacy that nature or art could produce or wealth
supply. Over the table was placed an illuminated transparency, repre-
senting a snap of the West India Colonies supported on each side by the
arms of England, with the motto—" Our God and our rights ; the
whole surmounted and enclosed by the words—" A cordial waconte
to the Deputies front our sister colonies." At the other extreme end
was a portico that opened on a beautiful and successful imitation of
Vauxhall gardens, conducting through an avenue where ten thousand
variegated lamps shed "a dazzling mass of artificial light" above sod
around, and terminated by a vast number of the same lamps forming the
letters W. R.

In our first page we have copied from the Barbados
Globe, the substance of an article connected with Colonial
practices, and the liberty of the press at Demerara, which
we are persuaded will surprise and interest the Public.—
We all remember the cases of Mr. BOCK iwGIIAM at Cal- i
cutta, and of a Printer at the Cape, but they were regarded
as exceptions ; and one was ascribed to the jealousy of the
Company, and the other to the bad spirit of Lord CHARLES
SOMERSET. The animadversions to which they gave rise
would, we should have imagined, have prevented a repe-
tition of any act so offensive to public feeling. Under
former administrations redress was difficult, but, under the
present, we may calculate chat this overt act, added to the
general grievances of these Colonies, will render an imme-
diate change of Governor at once prudent and necessary.
We are also persuaded that the use of the press, under the
usual responsibility of the laws, will now be protected and
assured in every part of the KING'S dominions.

CITY. ON. O'CLOCK.
To-morrow being settling day in the Consol Market, the
brokers are chiefly occupied this morning in making up their
accounts ; consequently, little business is doing at present.
Consols, which left off yesterday 83i a for the Account,
opened at 83i—soon after receded to 83a : at present they
may be quoted at 831.

Consols have just improved to 83i if.
CITY. rwo O'CLOCK.
We have seen the Dutch Papers of yesterday, which
bring dates of the 17th from Berlin, and they do not com-
municate the least intelligence from Poland : they are filled
with the correspondence of General Chass‘ and Genera
Belliard in regard to the affairs of Antwerp.
We do not hear of any further information from Paris;
it is supposed that Monday was a holiday.
Consols, which were in the early part of the morning at
83f for the Account, have since improved to 831 ; and at
present may be quoted 83f—for next time, 831 # : both
Stock and Monoy are scarce.
In the Foreign Market scarce a bargain doing.

Sydney papers, to the 15th December, received at the
North & South American Coffee-house ; they are not of great
interest. From the Sydney papers :—The heat on Satur-
day, Sunday, and yesterday, was more oppressive than
has been experienced during the present summer.— The
harvest : during these last few days, accounts have
been poured upon us, from all quarters of the Co-
lony, of the most gratifying nature, respecting the crops.
The late awful example made of the ten bush rangers at
Bathurst, appears to have produced considerable effect upon
the minds of the prison population in that district.
Tasmanian states, that amongst the measures of economy
in this colony adopted by Ministers, the office of Sheriff is
to be abolished. We have to announce the death of bis
Aboriginal Majesty, King Boongarie, Supreme Chief of the
Sydney tribe, after an illness of several months.

FOREIGN INTELLIGENCE.

nals, THE PARISIAN JOURNALS. Muwiay.

Le Temps, le Courtier Framjais, and several other of the oppositlo
journals, animadvert sbongly on the creation of two new diplooiatic
legations at Weimar and Parma, which, from the unimportance of
those Courts, they consider an unjustifiable sacrifice of the putt:
money, made either with the simple view of creating sinecures for e,.
newly-appointed functionaries, or else with the still more culpable
ject of courting the favour of the Emperors of Russia and Austtia—tht
Duke of Saxe Weimar being the brother-in-law of the former, and the
Duchess of Parma the daughter of the latter. The appointm tts
are represented as doubly objectionable, from the facts of M de `•au.
dreull, who is appointed to Weimar. having been secretary to the cl.
bassy at London in the time of Prince Polignac, and of Al. de :".'ra
Priest, who is to be sent to Parma, being the nephew of the
sador of Charles X. in Spain. We hope," adds the Courrier rove
ear, " that the accounts we have heard of M. de St. PricAt being j „
wedded to the ideas of legitimacy than his uncle are true, as it t: ,c:,
be at once a melancholy and curious spectacle to see a panic,n of
V. representing Louis• Philip L utile Court of the mother o; the Duke
of Reichstadt." These;aprointments have a peculiar character of in.
consistency, as emanating from Sebastiani, who was the first to attar;
the Manignac Administration for having created the legation to Lucc.
for M. de Marcellus.

Le Glebe refers to Unenthusiastic reception which the King and the
P,ince de &Ansille have met with in their respective journeys,
affording some ground for the accusation brought against the French
nation of being " imperil* valet ; ready to throw themselves at tie
feet of every chief, director, consul, emperor, king by the grace of GA
or by any other grace, who may happen to attain the supreme power.
and present himself to them with a smiling countenance. Hu',
while it admits this fact, it argues that the cause of it has been mis.
understood. It arises from the sentiment of association, which it
exclusively developed in the French nation, and which is neces.
barfly connected with a sentiment of hierarchy. The disturbances,
the tumults, which at times agitate France, prove only the desire
of the country to find chiefs capable of giving a proper direction to its
enormous principles of activity. tic must be a euperflulai
would draw from these tumults the conclusion, that the French are a
people impossible to govern. The only true conclusion to be drawn is,
that they wish to be well governed, and wish it ardently. It is from
the strong desire which the French have of possessing chiefs, whom they
may love and respect, that whenever a new power arises, they greet
it with hope, and proffer it their affections. This is the reason that
when the chief of the state smiles on them, they return the greeting
with the most unreserved caresses. This is the reason that
they are always ready to forget the faults of a Government which
appears disposed to correct them ; and this accounts for the en.
thusiasm (momentary, it is true,) with which, on the accession of
Charles X. the abolition of the censorship, and the few benevolent
words which dropped from the lips of that obstinate old man, were
received by the people.—This also explains the wonders of this
Alsace journey, which seems a progress through a fairy garden...
Above all, this proves what an invincible support a government,
disposed to study the true interests of the nation, will always fird
In the people of France.

Le National, in an article on the King's journey, quotes the folios.
ing passage from his Illsjesty's reply to the address of the national
guards of Louviers :—" We recollect but too well the evils inflicted on
France by the exaggeration of political theories. The hope of pre.
serving France from excesses and disorders induced me to accept the
throne. I had no other ambition." Upon this it remarks, that when
the Duke of Orleans accepted the crown, Paris was not in a state of
anarchy ; on the contrary, the most perfect order reigned throughout
the capital, although all the public buildings, and the Palace of the
Duke himself, were guarded only by men in rags. The Duke
of Orleans, therefore, in accepting the Crown, acted as much
for the interest of himself and family as of France. Had
he refused it, the nation must have sought another King, or mother
mode of government ; and in either case it would have been impossible
for the new dynasty to allow the Orleans family to remain In France,
and probably the immense fortune of the Duke would not have been to
much respected as that of the exiles of Holyrood has been. In fact, the
greater the probability of anarchy and confusion in France at the mo.
went the crown was offered to the Duke of Orleans, the more certa!n
would have been the ruin entailed on himself and property by a refusal.
Let us congratulate ourselves that affairs took the turn they did. We
agree to it, but let us not hear an act which saved the Duke of Orleans
and his family, and which has been rewarded by a civil list of eighteen
millions, qualified as a sacrifice, and an act of heroic devotion.

The National, which is always well-informed respecting
what comes to us from the Austrian capital, says to-day,
that the last despatches of Marshal Maison leave no doubt
of the speedy occupation of the Novarrais (part of Piedmont)
by Austria. Is this perhaps the subject of the new com-
munications which have just arrived from Vienna, and does
the Ministry believe that it must at length resolve to check
the encroachments of Austria ?

It is asserted that 283 members of the Chamber of Depu-
ties have solicited from the Government their elevation to
the peerage ; 86, it is said, were nominated, when the re-
marks of the press on Art. 23 of the Charter stopped the
promulgation of the names of the persons so distinguished.
The misfortunes of Dwernicki leaving Diebitach without
any uneasiness on the side of Volhynia, he will recall the
whole of his left wing, and advance for the fourth time to-
wards Warsaw. If he does not do so, we believe that the
Lithuanian insurrection will continue to menace the rear of
his centre and right wing.
The last report of the President of the Council announces
that " the action of the laws and the public force will soon
have repressed the troubles in the West." The ill-disposed
had taken advventage of the moment when the arrival, the
arming, and clothing of the new levies did not permit the re-
giments to send outdetachments, and to establish distant gar-
risons. They had succeeded in forming seine bands, which
were increased by refractory conscripts. At present our re-
giments are completely organized, and raised to the full
complement, as regulated by the late ordinances. Tao Ist,
6th, 12th, 14th, and 18th regiments of Light Infantry, the
32d, 41st, 43d, and 64th of the Line, the 4th of Artillery,
the 4th of Hussars, the 11th of Chassears, and the sth of Lan•
core, formed already a respectable force, they have just been
joined by the 9th, 16th, 31st, and 46th of the line, and by the
sth and 14th of mounted chasseurs. Such are the forces now
collected in the 4th, 12th, and 13th military divisions. Two
fifths of these troops will suffice for the ordinary garrisons. Of
45 battalions, seine will be cantoned in the countries where
disorders have manifested thou:selves, and will place fixed
garrisons in the central points ; the others will form move-
able columns, which will continually pursue the malefactors,
and will oblige the deserters to abandon the bands. Such
forces directed by the King's extraordinary commission.
with the activity, talents, and the prudence which he be
shown in our long wars, will soon restore peace and the au-
thority of the laws in the departments of the west.
In the Canton of Lucerne, a society has been formed, the
object of which is to maintain and propagate an equality of
political rights, to contend against local and corporation in-
fluence, and prevent the re-establishment of exclusive pre
vileges.
The riots in Lyons lasted three days, like those of Paris•
On the 4th, says the Precurseer de Lyon, there was still
some fermentation in the evening, on the Place de lo 3h-
sencorde. The crowd was mostly formed of people eunoto
to see what was going on. Some criep were uttered abod
nine o'clock; but the National Guard succeeded in dispels-
Totmoie, MAY 15.—The cannon, which bad
dispers-
ing the multitude without much trouble.
been sent
from Toulouse, have been forwarded to Arles and I.:unseen,
which is no indication of an approaching war. The vessels

that were to repair to Portugal have suspended their depar-
ture : some brigs sailed for that destination, but the ships
Ind frigates are still at anchor. It is hence supposed that
Don Miguel has consented to give satisfaction for the of-
fences made to French citizens in Lisbon. The Prince of
Joinville arrived here yesterday, and was well received. He
embarked this morning to go and visit the Hyeres Islands.
A courier from Warsaw arrived in Paris on Sunday even-
lag at the Foreign•otfice, and it was instantly reported that
the Poles had gained an important victory. We have ob-
tained no confirmation of that event. The Warsaw Gazette
of the 10th vaguely mentions that General Krasinki obtain-
td au advantage over General Kreutz's division near Lublin.
Krasinki's corps, which forms part of the right wing of the ,
Polish army, must have been considerably weakened by
Dwernicki's departure, so that the affair could not have been
lf much importance. The Polish papers contain no sanitory
bulletin ; but the extraordinary precautions taken along the
Thole Prussian line lead us to fear that the cholera presents
tic most alarming character. The measures are so rigorous,
that any person attempting to force the cordon is ordered to
instantly shot.—Quotidienne.

MEETING OF CORTES BONDHOLDERS IN PARIS.—A
meeting of the holders of Cortes Bonds was held on the 21st
M the Grand Bazaar, Rue St. Honor€, to consider the best
means of enforcing their claims on the Spanish Government,
ar.d to receive the report of a committee, appointed by them
the bondholders) on the 15th of April last, to take measures
for the general interest of the creditors of the King of Spain.
--A %cry plain-looking man was called to the chair, whose
brurie we could not learn. The meeting was, in fact, corn-'
nosed of very heterogeneous materials, including persons of
both sexes—of all ages and colors. The President informed
the assembly, that they had been convened to consider
and devise the best means of asserting their rights ; that,
after exhausting every possible means of obtaining redress
through the Government, he was sorry to state that little
tope was to be expected to obtain justice in that quarter.
He considered the Government to have literally abandoned
them. He then asked were the Bondholders disposed to
prosecute their claim before the Courts of Law, and to al-
% ance the necessary funds for the prosecution of M. Aguado
and the other contractors ? The meeting then resolved upon
a formal protest against the new scheme of the Spanish
Government, and that it should be handed to the Syndicat
of the licensed Stock-brokers, and the Committee should
apply for advice to an eminent lawyer, to ascertain were
the crediters in a condition to institute proceedings against
M. Lafitte and other contractors. A voluntary subscription
having been entered into, to defray the expenses to be in-
mrred, the assembly broke up at one o'clock.

" A person," says the Globe, " whose station in society
-nables him to acquire a knowledge of the proceedings of
the cabinet of Madrid, writes on the 9th instant from that
capital that measures will shortly be taken in Spain, both
Political and financial, of a very unexpected nature, and
that it is more than probable an arrangement will be entered
into between Spain and her ancient colonies to the full satis-
faction of both parties."
By a letter from Cholet, of the 15th, it is stated that
the excitement created in the Marais, the Bocage, and at
Beaupri.ati, has subsided. The Chouans are reduced to the
most deplorable condition, and cannot possibly remain any
longt.r in a body."

At the last Assizes of Versailles the Duke de Perigord
las summoned on the Jury, but applied to be struck out of
Ihv list, because, being a Peer of France, ho had become a
luage, and by the terms of Art. 384 of the Code of CH-
aiival Instruction, Jndges were exempt from serving on
Juries. The Court, however, decided that the privilege of
:Le Peerage did not extend to this exemption, Peers being
Judges only occasionally. The Duke has appealed to the
Court of Caseation.

Au English Quaker, Mr. Sargent, who has resided many
years in Paris, appeared on Tuesday in the Court of Assizes
to give evidence in a case of theft. On being called upon
),v the President to take the usual oath, be observed that he
could not do this consistently with his religious principles,
.and that the Courts always admitted persons of his sect to
be excused from this obligation. The President admitted
that it was the practice in the Court of Cessation in similar
-3. e, to accept a simple affirmation, and therefore received
the evidence of Mr. Sargent.