Star.
London, England, 1824-04-15 00:00:00

DEMERARA.

PROCEEDINGS OF A GENERAL COURT-MARTIAL,
Held at the Colony House, in George Town, on Monday, the 13th
day of October, 1823, by virtue of a Warrant, and in pursuance
of an Order of his Excellency Major-General John Murray,
Lieutenant-Governor and Commander-in-Chief in and over the
United Colony of Demeiara and Essequibo, &c. &c. dtc-

Lieutenant-Colonel Stephen Arthur Goodman, Half-pay 48th Re-
giment, and Commandant of the George Town Brigade of Militia.
7.IIOIIIERS,
Lieutenant-Colonel Charles Wray, Militia Staff.
Captain Thomas William Stewart, Ist West India Regiment.
Captain Richard Daniel, Royal orth British Fusileers.
Captain Thomas Fairweather. Royal North British Fusileers.
Lieut. Thos. Cochrane Hamill), Royal North British Fusileers.
Lieut. John Croftor Peddie, Royal North British Fusileers.
Second Lieut. Chas. 0' llara Booth, Royal North Brit. Fusileers.
Captain William Killykellie, Half-pay 6th West India Regiment,
Deputy Assistant Quarter-Master-General.
Captain Colin Campbell, Royal North British Fusileers.
Captain Lewis Charles Appelius, Royal North British Fusileers.
Lieut. Robert Gregg, 4th or King's Own Regiment.
Lieut. William Howe Hennis, Royal Artillery.
Second Lind. Alex. Gordon, Royal Engineers.
Second Lieut. Robt. Anstruther, Royal North British Fusileers.
The warrants of his Excellency Major-General John
Murray, Lieutenant-Governor and Commander-in-Chief
in and over the united colony of Demerara and Esse-
quibo, &c. &c. appointing Lieutenant-C 4one' Stephen
Arthur Goodman, Half-pay of the -Pith Regiment, and
Commandant of the George Town Brigade of Militia,
President of, and his Honour Victor Ainadius Hetiger,
to be Judge Advocate, and Richard Creser, Esq. Ro-
bert Phipps, Esq. and J. L. Smith, jun. Esq. to act as
Assistant Judge Advocates to a General Court-Martial,
ordered to assemble at the Colony House in • George
Town, on Monday, the 13th instant, at ten o'clock, for
the trial of such prisoners as shall then and there be
brought before it, having been read in presence of the
prisoner. The prisoner having been asked whether he
had any cause of challenge or objection to any of the
Members ?—answered, " No."
The Court was then duly sworn, and proceeded to
the trial of John Smith, a Missionary, on the following
. Citarges preferred against him, by order of his Excel-
lency Major-General John Murray, Lieutenant-Gover-
nor and Commander-in-Chief in and over the united
colony of Demerara and Essequibo, &c. &c.
1. For that be, the said John Smith, lung previous to and up to the
time of a certain revolt and rebellion which broke out in this colony
on or about the lath of August now last past, did promote, as far
as in him lay, discontent and dissatisfaction in the minds of the ne-
gro slaves towards their lawful masters, managers, and overseers,
he, the said John Smith, thereby intending to excite the said 1:e-
-groes to break out in such open revolt and rebellion against the au-
thority of their lawful masters, managers, and overseers, contrary to
his allegiance, and against the peace of our Sovereign Lord the
King, his Crown and dignity.
2. For that he, the said John Smith, having, about the 17th day of
August last, and on divers other days and times theretofore precedin7,
advised, consulted, and corresponded with a certain negro named
Quamina, touching and concerning a certain intended revolt and
rebellion of the negro slaves within these coloniei of Demerara and
Essequibo ; and further, after such revolt and rebellion had actually
commenced, and was in a coarse of prosecution, lie, the said John
Smith, did further aid and assist in such rebellion, by advising, con-
inking, and corresponding touching the same, with the said negro
Quatnina a • to wit, on the 19th and Moth August last past, he, the said
John Smith, then well knowing such revolt and t ebellion to be in pro-
gress, and the said negro Quamina to be an insurgent engaged therein.
5. For that he, the said John Smith, on the 17th August last past,
aril for a certain period of time thereto preceding, having come to
tha knowledge of a certain revolt and rebellion, intendi.d to take
place within this colony, did not make known the s.ane to the pro-
per Authorities, which revolt and rebellion did subsequently take
place ; to wit, on or about the 19th of August now last pan.
4. For that he, the said John Smith, after such revolt and rebellion
had taken place, and during the existence thereof, to wit, on or
about Tuesday and Wednesday, the 19th or 20th of August now last
past, was at Plantation Le Resouvenir, in presence of, and held
communication with, Quamina, a negro of Plantation Success, he,
the said John Smith, then well knowing the said Quamina to be an
insurgent engaged therein; and that he, the said John Smith, did
Lot use his utmost endeavours to suppress the same, by securing or
detaining the said insurgent Quamina as a prisoner, or by giving
information to the proper Authorities, or otherwise; but on the
contrary, permitted the said insurgent Qiansina to go at Lirge and
&part, without attempting to seize and detain him, and without
giving any information respecting him to the proper Authorities,
against the peace of our Sovereign Lord the King, his Crowd and
dignity, and against the laws in force in this colony, and in defiance
of the Proclamation of Martial Law. issued by his Excellency the
Lieutenant- Governor.
To these charges the pii,oner pleaded, Not Guilty.
The prisoner having requested the indulgence of the
Court, in order to procure the assistance of Counsel, the
Court adjourned until to-morrow morning at ton o'clock.
SECOND DAY, OCTOBER 14, 1823.
The Court having met, pUrEtlifli to adjournment, the
Judge-Advocate addressed the Court as follows :
"Notyit pleats the court,
" Previous to my proceeding to the proof of the
charges which have been preferred by me against the
prisoner, I feel it necessary to make a brief statement of
the case, in order to facilitate the proving of the chat ges
so preferred. I shall first adduce in evidence, that the
prisoner, even from the beginning of his arrival in this
colony, has begun to interfere with the complaints of
the different negroes upon the estates in the district
where he has been admitted as a regular Missionary. 1
shall further adduce evidence, that this interference has
tot only related to the negro population and their ma-
nagement, but also with regard to the acts and deeds of
the constituted authorities of this our country ; that this
kind of interference has created discontent arid dissatis•
faction amongst that part, viz. the negro population of
this colony; that even his opinion of the oppression
under which they labour brought him to that point,
that he considered it necessary to expound to them such
parts of the Gospel entirely relative to the oppressed
state in which he considered them to be. It shall
further appear to you in evidence, that this has led at
last to the tearing asunder the tie which formerly
united master and slave ; and that open revolt was the
consequence of this state of discontent in which they
bad been taught. It will also appear, that before the
revolt broke out, the prisoner was aware, not only of
the intended rebellion to take place, not only several
days before, but also on the day immediately preaeding
the breaking out of the revolt. It sl;all be proved that
.it was not only a bare knowledge of the intended revolt,
bet he even did consult and advise as to the difficulties
they would have to encounter from his Majesty's troops,
and from the white inhabitants of the colony. It shall
be proved that, with this knowledge upon his mind, he
never attempted to give any information hereof to the
constituted. authorities ; that even on the day of the
revolt, which took place in the evening, the prisoner
was in town, but that he left town without having made
that disclosure, which, as a faithful and loyal subject,
he was bound to do : not only this, but it shall also be
provedathat during the prosecution of the revolt, not'
only no attempt was made of any disclosure on his side,
but even that immediately after the beginning of the
revolt, on the first and second day, the prisoner did
correspond with one of the insurgents at a time when
he well knew that the insurgent was in open rebellion;

not only that he did correspona with him, but he even
did not attempt to secure that insurgent, or to give
such notice to the constituted authorities by which that
insurgent could have been laid hold of; that though,
perhaps, the prisoner at the moment might have found
some difficulty of conveying this intelligence to the
proper authority, that obstruction or difficulty was en-
tirely taken away on the following day, when a detach-
ment of Militia arrived at the dwelling of the prisoner,
and by which he was enabled to give such information
as a loyal subject he was obliged to do. This, Gentle-
men, is a brief statement of the case, and according to
the course which, in calling of the evidence, I intend

to pursue."
lle then proceeded to call evidence in support of
the Charges.
We proceed to the verdict, delivered on the 21th of
November, 1823.
The Court having most maturely and deliberately
weighed and considered the evidence adduced in sup-
port of the charges preferred against the prisoner, John
Smith, as well as the statements made by Mtn in his
defence, and the evidence thereon ; With respect to the
first charge, to wit, " For that he, the said John Smith,
long previous to, and up to the time of a certain revolt
and rebellion which broke out in this colony on or about
the 18th of August now last past, did promote, as far
as in him lay, discontent and dissatisfaction in the minds
of the negro slaves towards their lawful masters, mana-
gers, and overseers, he, the said John Smith, thereby
intending to excite the said negroes to break out in such
open revolt and rebellion against the authority of their
lawful masters, managers, and overseers, contrary to
his allegiance, and against the peace of our Sovereign
Lord the King, his crown and dignity ;" Is of opinion,
that he, the prisoner, John Smith, is guilty of thus much
thereof, to wit, " For that. he, the said John Sorith,
long previous to and up to the time of a certain revolt
and rebellion which broke out in this colony on or

about the 18th of August now last past, dii promote:
discontent and dissatisfaction in the n inds of the negro
slaves towards their lawful masters, managers, and
overseers;'-but acquits him of the remainder ot the said
charge, for want of sufficient proof in support thereof.
With respect to the second Charge, namely, " For
that he, the said John Smith, having, about the 17th
day of August last, and on divers other days and times
theretofore preceding, advised., consulted, and corre-
sponded with a certain negro, named Quamina, touchin4
and concerning a certain intended revoltand rebellion ot
the negro slaves within these colonies of Demerara and
Essequibo; and further, after such revolt and rebellion
had actually commenced, and wasin a course of prose-
cution, he, the said John Smith, did further aid and as-
sist in such rebellion, by advising, consulting, and cor-
responding touching the same, with the said negro,
Quamina, to it, on the 19. h and 20th August last
past, be, the said John Smith, then well knowing such
revolt and rebellion to be in progress, and the said ne-
gro Quamina to be an insurgent engaged therein," the
Cow t is of opinion that he, the prisoner, John Smith, is
guilty of so much thereof as follows ; viz --s." For that
he, the said John Smith, having, about the 17th day of
August last, and on one day theretofore preceding, ad-
vised, consulted, and corresponded with a certain negro
named Quamina, touching and concerning a certain in-
tended revolt and rebellion of the negro slaves within
these colonies of Demerara and Essequibo; and, fur-
ther, after such revolt and rebellion had actually com-
menced, and was in a course of prosecution, he the said
John Smith, did further aid and assist in such rebellion,
by advising, consulting, and corresponding touching •
the lame, with the said negro, Quamina, to wit, on chel
20th August last past, he, the said John Smith, then
well knowing such revolt and rebellion to be in
pro-
gress, and the said negro Quamina to be an insurgents
engaged therein," and acquits hint of the remainder of
the said charge.
With respect to the third charge, " For that he, the
said John Smith, on the 17tia August last past, and for
a certain period of time thereto preceding, having come
to the knowledge of a certain revolt and rebellion in-
tended to take place within this colony, did not make
known the same to the proper Authorities; which revolt
and rebellion did subsequently take place, to wit, on or
about the 18th of August now last past, the Court is
of opinion that he, the prisoner John Smith, is geilty.i
With respect to the fourth charge; viz.—" For that
he, the said John Smith, after such revolt and rebellion
had taken place, and during the existence thereof, to
wit, on or about Tuesday and Wednesday, the 19th and,
20th August now last past, was at plantation Le lfe4
souvenir, in presence of and held communication with
Quamina, a negro of plantation Success, he, the said'.
John Smith, then well knowing the said Quamina to be,
an insurgent engaged therein; and that he, theitaidJohn
Smith, did not use his utmost endeavours to suppress.
the same, by securing or detaining the said insurgent
Quamina as a prisoner, or by giving information to the'
proper Authorities, or otherwise ; but, on the contrary, •
permitted the said insurgent, Quamina, to go at large,
and depart without attempting to seize and detain him,
and without giving any information respecting him to
the proper Authorities, against the peace of our Sove-
reign Lord the King, his crown aed dignity, and against
the laws in force in this colony, and in defiance of the
proclamation of Martial Law, issued by his Excellency
the Lieutenant-Governor." The Court is of opinion,
that he, the prisoner John Smith, is guilty of so much
thereof as follows, namely—" For that he, the said John
Smith, after such revolt and rebellion had taken place,
and during the existence thereof, to wit, on Wednesday,
the 20th of August now last past, was at plantation Le
Itesouvenir, in presence of, and held communication
with Quamina, a negro of plantation Success, he, the
said John Smith, then well knowing the said Quamina
to be an insurgent engaged therein ; and that he, the
said John Smith, did not use his utmost endeavours to
suppress the same by giving information to the proper
Authorities, but, on the contrary, permitted the said in-
surgent Quarnina to go at large, and depart, without
giving any information respecting him to the proper
Authorities, against the peace of our Sovereign Lord
the King, his crown and dignity, and against the laws
in force in this colony, and in defiance of the proclama-
tion of Martial Law issued by his Excellency the Lieu-
tenant-Governor," and acquits hire of the remainder of
the said charge.
The Court having thus found the prisoner, John
Smith, guilty, asabove specified, does therefore sentence
him, the prisoner, John Smith, to be hanged by the
neck until dead, at such time and place as his Excel-
lency the Lieutenant-Governor and Commander-in-
Chief may think fit to direct. But the Court, under all
the circumstances of the case, begs humbly to recom-
mend the prisoner John Smith, to mercy.
(Signed) S. A. GOODMAN, Lieut.-Col. ;tad President.
(Signed) J. L. jun. Assist. Judge Advocate.
Approved, (Signed) JOHN MURRAY,