Star.
London, England, 1830-01-27 00:00:00

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MACDONNELL'S PAMPHLET ON THE
WEST INDIA QUESTION.
Mr. Alexander Micdonnelk, formerly secretary of the
'ommittee of Demerara planters, and subsequently, we
lltAieve, of the West India Dock Company, has recently
pAduced his periodical pamphlet on the West India
question; which he addresses to the Members of both
Houses of Parliament. It does not appear to us to de-
serve any elaborate refutation, at least at our hands,
because to the readers of our work it will carry with it
its own refutation. The very principle on which he sets
oat, and which is implied in the whole work, namely,
,hat commercial gain is to be preferred to every other
consideration, will scarcely find admission into any mind
hich places a due value on justice, mercy, and truth,
even if our actual loss, instead of gain, from the slave sys-
tem, had not been proved beyond the possibility of rea-
sonable question. (See Reports of the A. S. Society,
1 and 2, and A. S. Reporters, Vol. i. Nos. 17, 22, and
24.) We shall merely glance at a few of the subsidiary
topics.
1. He opens again the question of free labour, after
the mode, and according to the exploded theory of Major
Moody. In his discussion, however, we can only find a
single argument which does not stand fully refuted in
the Edinburgh Review, and in the numbers of this Re-
porter, 27 and 31.
2. The single argument which is new is drawn from
Mr. Mackenzie's official representation of the state of
Hayti. Mr. Macdonnell's pamphlet, and our exposure
of the great unfairness of that representation, (in oar last
number, No. 55,) were probably passing through the
press at the same time. Had Mr. Macdonnell previously
seen that exposure, he might not have been so forward in
resting his case on so very weak and insufficient a proof.
He relies upon it, however, as a veracious and irrefutable
document. We have shewn it, we aro bold to say, to be
utterly unworthy of reliance. " It is impossible to doubt,"
says our author," that this report of Mr. Mackenzie must
produce a great sensation. It touches upon all the con-
tested points," (we had divined this to have been its ob-
ject 0 " and it is so impartially and perspicuously drawn
es to produce immediate conviction, p. 49.) The very
slightest examination might have satisfied even Mr.
Macdonnell of the absolute ridicule attached to expres-
sions of commendation so very wide of all resemblance,
nay so ironically unlike.
3. We have next a proof (p. 21.) drawn from some
statement of the late Lord Liverpool, (where to be found
we know not) that it is calumnious to question the wil-
lingness, nay the zeal of the colonists to promote edu-
cation and religious instruction among the slaves. The
preceding pages of this number (167-172.) anticipate
the answer to this extraordinary plea.
4. Then " the crime of slavery belongs to the mother
country." Be it so ; then let the mother country forth-
1‘ ith cease from it, and make her children to cease from
it also.

5. The object of all this stir about abolition on the
part of the agitators, it seems, is patronage. If this
charge is intended to inform the Duke of Wellington,
Sir George Murray, and the other administrators of
places, employments, and pensions, they will know best
how to value it. It is untrue, and if Mr. Macdonnell
does not know that it is so, he must be wilfully ignorant.
6. Then comes a long discussion about compulsory
manumission, being the pivot on which he seems to turn.
(See Vol. i. No. 22, p. 323). We leave it to its native
effect, without offering to disturb it.
7. As to all his lovely pictures of what Jamaica and
the other colonies have done to make the slaves as happy
as the day is long, we need only point to the abstracts of
their statute books in our own pages. Almost every
assertion he makes on the subject is substantially untrue.
8. He speaks of our slave colonies being tyrannically
anverned by the mother country, (p. 49.) This is really

to ridiculous !
9. As for " spoliation of the rights of property,"
(p. 53.) Does the case of the West Indies differ from
the case of the East Indies, or of the London Bridge ?
10. Mr. Macdonnell further labours to prove that the
feelings of proprietors resident in England and of the
colonists are identical. So much the worse for the pro-
prietors resident in England ! We have always sus-
pected it, notwithstanding their repeated disclaimers of
any such identity.
11. He triumphs over the abolitionists for refusing to
take part in the discussion before the Privy Council in
1827, on the compulsory manumission clause. He will I
find all he has said completely answered, by anticipation,
in the Reporter, No. 31, p. 153, and No. 52, p. 59.
We shall no longer interrupt the passage of this work
to its proper place.—Anti-Slavery Reporter.
We. regret to learn that a coast-guard boat, which was
proceeding en Thursday evening from Bantry to the station at
Blue Hill, when about a mile from the Aare, it was upset by a
sudden squall, and, melancholy to relate, the chief boatman, with
four of his men and Doe of their wives, unfortunately perished !
Thff have all left families to deplore their loss —Cork Constitution.
YVIIER•L RITES OF THE GRAND KIIANS.—II has
been an invariable Custom, says Marco Paulo, that all the grand
khans and chiefs of the race of Zingla Khan should be carried for
interment ro sonata lofty mountain, named Altai; and in what-
ever place they may chance to die. although it should be at the
distance of a hundred days' journey, they are neverthhkss con-
veyed thither. It is likewise the custom during the progress of
removing the bodies of those princes, to sacrifice suchteerrso: as
May harpist to meet ea the road; saying to them, " for
the nest world, sod there attend an your decessed master ; ' being
impressed with the belief that all whom they thus slay do actually
become his servants in the nest life. They do the same with re-
spect to berms,. killing the beat of the stud, in order that be may
have the use of them. When the corpse of Mango Khan was
transported to this mountain. the basemen who accompanied ft.
bevies this Adlnd and horrible persuasion. slew upwards of ten
thousand persons who fell in their way !—(Dr: Lardner's Cabinet
. Vol. 11.--History of Maritime and Inland Disco-
very. Doti L) • ,
SPIRITS INFESTING THE WILDERNESS OF LOP.
The journey lay 'entirely through sands and barren mountains ;
and in some places the water was so scarce as hardly to sake for
a small caravan of fifty or a hundred persons. " In the whole of
this jouroey," *says oar traveller, " there are no birds or beasts to
be seas. It is repotted that many evil spirits reside in the wil-
derness, and practise war derful illosionion travellers who happen
to lag behind their companions, calling them by their right names,
and In accustomed tones of voice; thus causing them to stray fur.
thee from Mk right coarse, and to lose their way, and perish In the
sands. In the night time, also. travellers are often persuaded that
they hear the math of a kiss Cavalcade on the one side or the
other of the road, and concluding the noise to be that of the font-
steps of their party, they torn towards the quartet whence it seems
to proceed; bet upon the breaking of day, find they have been
midekand drawn loins Mutation. of danger. It is said also, that
some in their cower across the desert have seen what sp.
pea to them to be a. body of armed men advancing towards them,
and apprehensive of being attacked and plundered have taken ro
flight ; losing by this meals the right petit, and ignorant of the di-
smiss they should .kite to regain it..ther have perished miserably
et hunger. Mervellout. indeed, and almost passing belief, seethe
swim related of those "kits of the desert, which are said at Mines
tis 111 the air with the sound of ell kinds of musical instruments,
and able dunes and thi clash of arms, obliging the travellers to
class tilt awed march, sad to prowled in more compact order...-.
They lied it necomary also to take the'prethetion. before they re-
pass for the to fix iliOrlMetsidllal. utit the course
they are gellesd, oath walla to ;neat a hen to each of
the WM of bufdeti, fur the pruposio .of their being more easily'
kete *IR Beek are theizsleisive trinthles. and lagers.
that Inuit be' eheMidteted in th:Oir of this (lc..
sere:rTkeltWoodua tebten by'dilf alithhe te g the &sena
lisMtlMd he sad Tareky.—(Dr. ',adage&
Vol. IL—History of Maritime and Inland
Discovwy`', Vol.

Wheat
&Or/
Oats

Rye ....
Peas

Beans.
Maize or Indian Corn

Buck Wheat.
Beer or .....

Tutal of Meal and

Flour 1

Species of Corn,
Grain, Meal, and
Flour.

Wheat.. . • • . •

Barley I

Oats -

Rye.
Peas

Beans... ..• ........
Main or Indian Corn

Buck Wheat..
Beer or 8igg.......
Total of Corn and

Grain

Wheat Meal or

Barley Mea1........

Oatmeal ..
Rye Mea1...........
Indian Meal...

Species of Core.
Grain, and
Flour.

Qrs. Dll5.
2,617 3

814 4

-

42,339 2

'Cwt. vs Ith 1
11,125 !40

1 5 6