Star.
London, England, 1827-09-27 00:00:00

volent hind of Government Vera held out for their
_protection. Bat as to those 'Oilcans who have been
taught such • eful handicraft trades as that of cooper,
carpenter, Illialcsnpith,s&c. and those who have been ena.:'
ployed in the buiihAs. of sailor, sod I will add, but not
with_sigoa.l thofidence, some of those also who love
beenWsghe up as domestics, females as well as males,
could not fail to find employment in a colony which
presents such resources at Antigua—provided no impe-
diment; were to be thrown in their way by party feel-
Ingo or the interested views of individuals.
RELIGIOUS AN* MORAL CINDITIONS.—FIorn the ac-
counts given by the 'different parties at the ex sminations,
it was collected that the number of adults baptise) was
189, viz. 78 males and 111 females. It appeared, how-
ever, that 209 were attendants at public worship, some
regularly, others seldom:
44 atteaded Divine Service at the Church of England.
27 . the Methodist asapeL
153 the Moraviaos.
Uprin the subject of Religious Instruction, rregret
that ft is not in my power to report as favourably as
Might have been hoped and expected from the conside.
ration, that, of all his Majesty s West India Colonies,
there is none in• which more opportunities are afforded
for teligiotts improvement, to this and to every other
class of persons, bond or free, than ate presented by the
different ministers of religion in the island of Antigua.
With a view to obtain as accurate information as was
practicable upon this important and interesting branch
of the inquiry, the rule I observed in examining the
Africans under this head, was to put a few simple ques-
tions, which would elicit from the individuals what con-
ceptions they entertained as to the existence of a Goo,
and a future state of rewards and punishments. A few
appeared to me to have received sensible impressions as
to these points; and of those the greater number were
females. Some others there were who explained their
perceptions of the difference between moral good and
evil, and could state in a confused and general way the
hopes and fears that should be felt as to the conse-
' quences of a well or ill spent life. Of this class of re-
ligious proficients, there was a considerable number.
But there were also a great many who did not appear to
have received any religious instruction whatever; their
minds seemed to be as dark and unenlightened (so far
' as religious knowledge was concerned) as if they bad
been imported from Africa only the day before.
And it is not undeserving remark, that the state
of religious improvement among the Africans was
found, in many instances, to be in the inverse ratio of
the lengths of time that the individuals had resided in
the colony; but was always, however, directly propor-
tional to the degrees of attention that had been paid to
their instruction, and to the facilities afforded them fee
attending divine service. Those who appeared most
advanced in religious knowledge and civilisation I ob-
served to he the apprentices of liberal minded persi.ns
of the middle class, whose circumstances were sufficiently
affluent to enable them to maintain their servants and
dependents comfortably, at the same time that their
pursuits and station in life were not of such a descrip-
tion as would necessarily remove their working people
from frequent intercourse with them in the way of their
businesses. It is with such masters and mistresses that
apprentices are most likely to have an opportunity'bf
learning some handicraft trade, or of becoming expert
in some department of industry, which would insure
future employment and support ; and it is in such situ-
ations also that they are most likely to improve in moo-
rals and in civilisations These advantages are not so
certain when the Africans are apprenticed-to persons of
the higher condition and greater affluence; for, though
it the latter case little apprehension need be entertained
for the physical comforts of the apprentices, yet it may
reasonably be expected that their moral condition will
not be equally attended to, as this must of necessity de-
pend upon the conduct exercised towards them by the
a. herd man" or person under whose direction they are
placed by the master, and upon the examples of their
fellow servants or companions in labour.
With respect to those ill fated apprentices who are
assigned to the lowest class of White employers, hard
indeed is their lot This is the true school of adversity
for the captured negro. The needy master has received
the apprentice only for the purpose of extracting from
him the means of subsistence for himself ; and, con,
formably to his views, he makes the most of the term
of years, or interest, lie has obtained in the African,
without much concern as to the latter's present comforts
or future welfare.
At the latter end of /84, there were but four in-
stances among the entire number of captured Negroes
residing in Antigua, who had received certificates of
their tree condition ; and these four, it appeared, con-
trited to support themselves without becoming burden-
some to the community ; although two of them (males)
were but indifferent characters. There were several,
however, who, although their period of service had not
yet terminated, generally supported themselves by their
own industrious exertions; and among these were fe-
males, who according to their own, and their master's
statements, were able to earn sufficient subsistence for
themselves and their children. Some male Africans
had worked about as hired porters or drudges, and were
able t• pay their masters from one toone-and-a-half
dollar a week, out of their earnings. There were others,
who when their masters had not employment for them,
were allowed to seek their own subsistence, and have
earned in such cases from one to one-and-a:half dollars
per week for themselves. Others were permitted in ad-
dition to their weekly allowance, or in lieu thereof, to
work for their own profit after four &clack in the after-
noon ; • and of this permission they sometimes availed
themselves with advantage.
With respect to the question of expense or danger
resulting to the Colonial community from this class of
persons, the apprehensions expressed upon this subject
appear not to arise from any experience of the past, or
rational anticipation of the future. Hitherto, instead of
being any charge upon those colonies where they hive
leen settled, the reverse has taken place. They 'lave
been a source of no little profit to such Colonies; and
much money front the Treesory of Great Britain has
been circulated in the small communities of Antigua,
Tortola, &c. which never would have found its way into
these islands, had not the captured Africans heen settled
among them.• In the next place, when it is considered
that the Colonies have the security of ass Act o,f the Bri
tisk Parliament, that the Africans are not to be made
chargeable upon them hereafter (5 Gei,. IV. chap. 113.
sect. 31). all fears upon that head, it may be presumed,
can safely be dismissed.
As to any danger that could arise to the community
from thesee liberated Anicans, I cannot perceive that
any serious apprehensions need be entertained upon the
*object. At least so far as Antigua is concerned, when
his class of per sons bear so small a proportion to th.
ettare population ; and *bele the nusober of white in-
habitants, according to the census taken in 1821,