Star.
London, England, 1830-07-01 00:00:00

VAN DIEMEIWs LAND.

Copy of a letter addressed to John William Buckle, Esq. as
Chairman of the New South Wales and Van Diemen's and
Association.
Hobart.town, Van Diemen's hand, August 6, 1829.
_ _

Sir. --1 have the greatest satisfaction in being deputed by a
society of the colonists here, associated upon the model of that in
London over which you preside, to have the honour to me►.o a coin.
manicatlon to you, upon the several important subjects which 1 ant
about to submit to your consideration.
The colonists here have viewed with much gratification the for-
mation of a society in the mother country, composed of so many
individuals possessing an influence so commanding and extensive,
as to ensure to every thing it adopts that certainty of success which
cannot but follow the operations of such a body ; and the gentle-
men whom 1 have the honour to represent, feel every confidence,
that the ob;ectt which your atNer.aiior tat profeseed to be its leading
principle,—namely, " the watching over, and the protecting the
interests of these colonies," will never be lost sight of in its ulterior
proceedings.
It is therefore with great satisfaction that 1 have the honour now
to address you, in the perfect conviction that the great object which
we consider to be of vital importance to the prosperity of this colony,
and to the placing the lives and properties of the colonists in a corn.
parative state of security, will receive every possible support from
your Association.
You are aware, that by the recent Act of Parliament, by which a
form of government for these colonies is provided, we arc deprived
of the greatest rights and blessings enjoyed by Englishmen—rights
which we have always looked upon as inherent to our birth, and
without which we cannot consider our lives and properties to be se.
cure. We need not say we refer, first to the great right of being
governed by laws in the making of which we have a voice by repre-
sentative ; and secondly, that glorious English constitutional right
of trial by jury.
Fur the first of these, we have the miserable substitute, of an ano-
malous body, called a" Legislative Council," formed of the chief
authority and 14 members, nominated by himself; and for the lat.
tcr, we have the insufficient and unsafe substitute of, in civil eases,
two magistrates, nominated by the Government, many of whom re-
ceive salaries front the Government out of the public purse ; and in
criminal eases, seven military officers, nominated by the Govern.
ment, form a jury, receiving each 15s. a day, (the foreman 205.)
without the right of challenge or objection, for any thing stunt of
immediate interest.

The total want of security existing under such a mockery of jus-
tice, is too obvious so need dwelling upon.
The composition of the body called the Legislative Council is
equally objectionable. I enclose you herewith a nominal list of the
individuals, our present legislators ; and I have annexed to the
name of each individual a remark upon his station in the colony, by
which you will perceive that the bare perusal of such a list by tilt
colonists only gives rise to the most mortifying reflections.
Yon, Sir, and the gentlemen associated with you, are well aware,
that no other colony under the British dominion, is subjected to
these most grievous deprivations. The only ground upon which
such have ever been attempted to be justified, being the hacknied
and unmeaning appellation which has been applied to us, that we
are a •' renal Settlement ;" instead of being, as we really are, a re-
gular British colony, possessing by right all the immunities of our
native land, were we not, by the oppressive law by which the go.
vernment of the colony is organized, most unjustly and injudiciously
deprived of them.
The consequence is exactly what might be expected—that an
immense taxation is levied upon us, infinitely beyond our means to
defray. and which is producing, and has produced, the most serious
depreciation of property of every description. This taxation being,
upon a population not exceeding 20.000 persons, free persons and
crown prisoners, men, women. and children included, upwards of
60,0001. per annum ! And this not expended in useful or neces-
miry improvements to the colony, of any sort or description—hut
being, for the most part, consumed in the payment of most exorbi-
tant salaries to useless and unnecessary officers.
The manner in which this taxation is levied is certainly not by
direct imposition. But it is not the less injurious or comprehen.
sive in its operation upon the colonist, inasmuch as it is levied by
the imposition of duties (custom and excise) upon every article of
imported consumption, which the wants or the habits of the colony
may require.
But this is not the only oppressive part of the injudicious system
here established. By an inconsistence as extraordinary as it is in.
comprehensible, a dilFerent schedule of duties exists in the two
sister colonies, that established in New South Wales being infinitely
less extensive than that existing here, by which the trade between
the two colonies is checked and interrupted, and their mutual pros-I
perity insomuch retarded and thrown back.
The press, that great engine, by which the advancement of
the human intellect can alone take place, is subjected to many and
serious impediments. No newspaper can be printed here until its
conductors have found securities, to a most inconvenient amount,
that they shall not libel the Government; and in the present state
of the law of libel, with courts of justice composed as are ours, it is
obvious that the existence of a really free press is altogether im-
possible.

• We have many other causes of the most actions complaint, the
very enumerating of which would swell this communication to a
most inconvenient length. lam instructed to forbear pressing more
upon your consideration than those, most important as they are,
which I have endeavoured to submit to you, in the shortest and
clearest manner of which 1 am capable.
I cannot, however, but bring but one point under your most par-
ticular notice. It is the assertions generally made here, that all ob-
jections to the existing state of things arise either from party feelings
or interested motives. In order to prove that nothing.of this actu-
ates the society of which 1 am the humble organ, I anti instructed to
press upon your earnest attention that it Is not to the reduction of
duties upon importation. oppressive and strong impediments to our
commerce as they arc, that we wish your association to bestow upon
it its first consideration. We should prefer to strike the axe to the
root. We should solicit of your body that it will be pleased to use
its commanding influence to obtain for us the restoration of our
rights, as free British subjects, living under the British flag, in a
British colony, well convinced as we are that it is alone necessary
to our prosperity to be enabled to make our own laws by means of
representatives of our own choice. That obtained, of course we
should ourselves suit our laws to our situation.

It is quite unnecessary for me to irate, thLt in soliciting this we
ask no boon. We require nothing but the free and unrestricted
rights of our births to be enjoyed by us in the same manner as they
are by out fellow-subjects in every other colony of British origin.
In making this communication, I beg leave to add, how highly I
appreciate the honour I possess, of corresponding with a gentleman
of your long commercial knowledge and experience, and high stand.
ing in the society of our native land.
I beg leave to have the honour to subscribe myself,
Your most obedient and very humble servant,
ANTHONY FENN KEMP, Chairman.

By intelligence from Cadiz, we learn that a fresh de-
tachment of troops has sailed front that port for the Havannah ;
and letters received from the latter place account for the fact, by
stating that a second Spanish expedition is on the point of mewing
against some part of Mexico. It is very lamentable that such WO_
ton utitnigcs should be inflicted upon an infant l'ower, which will
never. at this rate, be enabled to recover itself front ase wretched
condition into shish a long course of troubles has plunged it. No
1,41011er t, di re a 3lexicsn Government established of such a charm-
ter as to hold out promptmai of any thing like steadiness, common
!sense, and isitegriiy in iss dealings, but one of these execrable Span.
ish agfuessions follows, of the prteise degree of force which ensures
'at ores its can final overthrow and a great deal of previous an: sty,
military preparat on, and severe expense to the unorrend:ng Repub-
lic.— 7', ;nes.

ST. JAMES'S HAY-MARKET, Jour I.
Coarse Heavy Lowland Meadow Hay, .112 10s. to j Ss. Useful
ditto, Al :3.. to £4 4s. Floe Upland Meadow and Rye Grass
Hay, £4 Of. to aes os. Clover Hay. XS Ids. to £3:los. New
Hay, t 2 Hs. to £4 41. Oat Straw, f 4 61. to £2 10s. Wheat
Straw, ,C 2 ios. to 42 14a. per load of 56 tresses.—There was
a good supply a mithet this morning.

lipid-WATER at LON DON. BILI DOR TO 5101 t HOW
Morning 24 minutes atter 11
Afternoon 51 minut.• Iltr• 11

lif

i:~

it