Star.
London, England, 1828-01-21 00:00:00

' JAMAICA.

Dispatch Man the itlght Hon. William Huskisson, Ms Majesty's'
Principal &emu., of Sate tor the Colonial Department, 40
Najor Glienorni Sir Jan kLeaue„ LCD. Lieutenant Goviewor
et this bland, sent down by him in a Mesaape.to the Honourable
House of Assembly, on Friday the 16th of November instant.

(Copy.) Downing•street, Sept. 22,1527.
' Sir—The Act passed by the Governor, ooncil, and
Assembly of Jamaica; in the monthof December, 1826,"
iotitnled, 44 An Act to alter and amend the Slave Laws
of this Island," having been referred ty his Majesty in:
Council to the Lords of the Committee of Privy Council.
for the Affairs of Trade and Foreign Plantations, that,
Committee have reported to his Majesty in Council;
their opinion that this Act ought tote disallowed. The.
Order of his Majesty in Council, approving that report
and disallowing the Act, will be transmitted to you by
the earliest opportunity.
In obedience to the commands of his Majesty in
Council, I proceed to communicate to you the grounds
of bis Majesty's decision ,npon this subject.
The Privy Council did not sal:unit to.his Majesty their
advice that this Act should be disallowed without great
reluctance. The great importance of the subject has
been fully estimated, and his Majesty has
.perceived
with much satisfaction the advances which the Colonial
Legislature have made in many respects to meet the
recommendations conveyed to them in Lord ,Flathurst's
dispatch of the I.lth May, 1856 ; but, howeserennah his
Majesty may be desirous to sanction these valuable im-
provements in the Slave Code of Jamaica, it has been
found impossible to overcome the objections to which
other enactments of this law are open. I am com-
manded to express to you his Majesty'seamothope,
that upon a deliberate review cif the subject, the Legis-
lative Council and Assembly will be disposed to pre-
sent for your assent another Bill, divested of those
enactments which have prevented the confirmation of
the present Act.
Among the various subjects which this Act presents
for consideration, none is more important in itself, nor
more interesting to every class of society in this kingdom,
than the regulations on .the subject of religions instruc-
tion. The 88d and the two following .clauses must
be considered as an invasion of that toleration to which
all his Majesty's subjects„ whatever essay be *ir civil
condition, are alike entitled. The prohibition of persons
in a state of slavery assuming the Ace of religious
teachers might seem a very mild restraint, or rather a.fit
restraint, against indecorous proceedings ; but, amongst
some of the religion, bodies *ha employ snissionasies
in Jamaica, the practice of mutual:instruction is stated
to be an,established pert 9f their discipline. So long as
the practice is carried on in an inoffensive and peaceable
manner, the distress produced by the preveittion of it
will be compensated by no public advantage.
The .prohibition ,of :Meetings .for religions worship
between sun set And sunrise will, in many um, operate
as a total prohibition, and will be felt with peculiar
severity by domestic slaves inhabiting large towns.
whose 9rdinarye9gagements on Sunday will not afford
leisire for attendance on public worship before the even-
ing.' it is impossible to pass over without remark the
invidionsdistinction which is made not only between
Protestant Dissenters and .Roman•Catbolics, but even
between Protestant Dissenters and the Jews, i have,