Star.
London, England, 1822-09-12 00:00:00

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VENCL

COLONIAL
BRIDGE TOWN (SARBADOES), JULY so.
His Ezcellency SIT H. WARDS this day went in
State from Government House to the Town Hall, to
meet the other branches of the Colonial Parliament ;
knd, from its being th' commencement of a new Ses-
sion, the Governor, upon the Representatives in the
House of Assembly appearing beforehisn in the Coon-.
cil Chamber,.delivered the following Address :
" Mr. President, and Oentlanen of his Ihjesty's Council,
" Twelve months have now-elapsed since I first had the' honour
of addressing you from this Chair ; and it is with sincere and
strong feelings of gratification, that I offer you my best thanks
for the able advice and re►dy assistance which you have ren-
dered me, in conducting the important and difficult duties of

my situation.
" I trust that the confidence•which now exists between us.
may not only continue, but be increased and more firmly ce-
mented, by a longer and more perfect knowledge of each other ;
as I am convinced that only one sentiment prevails in common
with us all—that of an anxious and heartfelt desire to endeavour
to promote the general good of the Public; and, with such sen-
timents, I yet entertain a sanguine hope, that all eyes may be
turned to that alone; and that tranquillity, harmony, and happi-
ness, may be restored to the country, by the well-combined co-
operation of all the branches of the Legislature.
44 Mr. Speaker, and Gentlemen of the House of Assembly,
" The present House appearing (with very few exceptions) to
consist of the same Memb-ra as those of the last year, it may
not be improper for me now to express to them and to their
Speaker, my very warmest thanks for the general Mud attention
shewn to my wishes, publicly and officially made known to them;
and I most sincerely and feelingly regret that my Lest should
have proved an exception ; as I trust I speak with no erroneous
confidence when I say, Gentlemen, there Is not one among you
who will not do me the justice to believe, that my Message to
the Speaker, conveying an especial call of the House, accompa-
nied by a document explanatory of my reasons for that call, did
not proceed from any desire to dictate to the House, but unequi-
vocally and solely from an earnest and heartfelt desire to pro-
mote the welfare of the community by the expression of my
wish, which had ever previously met with so much kind atten-
tion ; and now, acting from the very same feelings, and consider-
ing it my duty, as well as that of the other branches of the Legis-
lature, to endeavour to relieve the severe and cruel sufferings
under which the poor of St. Michael's have too long been labour-
fog (and more particularly when the very existence of some may
be at stake by delay), I do again beseech you, in the name of
humanity, no longer to allow any cause to shut your ears to the
loud cries of the poor; but to afford them some prompt and per-
manent relief, by an immediate Act for a levy to be raised by
the late Vestry of St. Michael's, and to add a clause to the Bill
new in force, to oblige all future Vestries to act until new ones II
may betlected.
4, Since the last meeting of the Council, the draught of a Bill
for the amendment of the Slave Laws has been shewn to me ;
on which, in the presentltage of the business, I have nothing to
remark, more than to state, for your general information, that I
cannot affix my name to any Bill enacting a new capital offence,
Lnless it shall contain a clause suspending the execution thereof
u:itil the sante shall have received his Majesty's approbation.
" I would strongly recommend to your attention the nume-,
rous evils which constantly arise from the want of a Police in
Bridge-town ; with the hope that you may, after the due consi-
deration of a subject of such great importance, be enabled to
enact a well-framed Bill for the establishment of an effective and
energetic one, which might include all the various branches ne-
cessary for the preservation of goad order, as well as those for
the prevention of the improper lauding of Aliens, and of persons
labouring under infectious diseases. To my humble opinion, such
a measure would prove one of the most beneficial which could
possibly be adu?ted fur the good of your country.
" I shall now, Gentlemen, conclude by offering you all my
hearty congratulations on the present truly cheering prospect of
most plentiful crops of every description, which, by a conti-
nuance of GOD'S blessings, I entertain a well-founded bops, may
.be brought to maturity, and in great measure tend to relieve the
country front its Mrs-rings and distress."
TO 5A GO.
ADORES& or rue arouse or ATIIMPLY.
- _

" To his Excellency Sir Fredero Philip Robinson, Ste. Etas
" May it please your t.:setney,
" The 'louse of General Assembly, the Representatives .of
the free independent Elertors of Tobago, resent themselves be.
fort your Excell cy with assurances of their loyalty sod at-
tachment to our most gracious Sovereign, George the fourth.
" The general pecuniary distress prevailing in this colony In-
duces his Majesty's faithful subsets to address your Excellency,
in the hope that some relief may be given, so as to enable the
vdony to support themselves under the pram:sof the burdeag
row weighing so heavily on them.
" When your Excellency was appointed to the government
of this island, the finances of this colony were in a flourishing
state ; and the produce of the island, the source from which our
means were drawn, bore such a proportionate value as enabled
the planter to meet the charges and expenses necessary for sup.
porting the character and loyalty of the colony.
" In consequence of such flourishing state of our finances, the
calony was enabled to grant to your Excellency the sum of
4,0001. per annum (a salary much larger than ever given to for-
mer Governors), for the purpose of enabling your Excellency to
support the character of the colony, always famed for hospita-
lity and the dignity of the Governor.
6' That this Colony, from the depreciation of he staple com-
modities, as per statement annexed, and the very small crops
trade, owing to the very dry weather last year,' the actual ne-1
c:ssity of providing means fur the public buildings now erecting
and about to be erected, find themselves totally unable to am-
tinue your Excellency's salary. They conceive they would be
unworthy of the confidence reposed in them by their constituents,
did they not lay before your Excellency such a statement of their
burdens as may induce your Excellency to follow the worthy
example of our most gracious Sovereign George the Fourth,
who, being well aware of the distresses of our mother country,
and anxious to contribute to the relief of the burdens pressing
so heavily on his subjects, has, with true paternal love for his
subjects, reduced the expenditure of the Civil List !
" The once wealthy Colony of Jamaica has been map*

with reluctance to reduce the salary of his Grace the Duke of
Manchester, although that Nobleman, by his upright and Im-
partial administration, bad obtained the suffrages and good *pis
Lion of all classes ; and nothing could have Induced suck a maw
sure, but the overwhelming distress of that populous and ex-
tensive Colony.
" Ills Majesty's faithful subjects, knowing that your Ends
lency is well acquainted with the pecuniary distress pressing ups.
all classes, and that your Execliency is sensible of the miseries of
the colony, fur whose welfare you have always expressed an at-
tachment, hope tha: your Excellency willset such an example to
the public officers, whose salaries far exceed the means of the to
That this House, front feelings of respeet and delicacy,
are unwilling to originate any measure in the shape of a Nita