The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1833-08-23 00:00:00

WEST INDIES.

The following appeared in our second edition of
Tuesday :
A sudden and much desired change of wind has brought
int 6 this port, this morning, a considerable number of
vessels from the western world. We have Jamaica papers
and letters to the 30th June, and Demerara papers to the
sth July. The Jamaica papers contain Mr. Stanley's
speech on the 15th May, in which he developed the then
government plan for the emancipation of the slaves.—
That plan, however, was principally based upon the pro-
posed loan of £15,000,000, and, at the date to which we
refer, the substituted scheme of £20,000,000 as a gift
was not known in Jamaica. The following proclamation
was issued by Lord Mulgrave on the 29th June :

"Whereas, his Majesty has been most graciously pleased to
take into his consideration a plan for changing the system
under which slavery at present exists, in these dominions.
And whereas it is his Majesty's most anxious desire to improve
and benefit the slave population of this island, in such manner
as may seem most compatible with the interest of their owners
in their services: and whereas it may be necessary to guard
against any erroneous impression in the minds of the slave
population of this island; and, in order that they should be
fully aware that his Majesty's gracious designs in their behalf
are only regulated and restricted by the consideration of their
own good; and that any misconduct or insubordination at the
present moment must have the effect of retarding or possibly
frustrating such his Majesty's intentions: I do now therefore
issue this my proclamation, and do hereby call upon all his
Majesty's subjects in this island, to render due obedience to
the laws, and to the orders of all constituted authorities: and I
do hereby charge and command all his Majesty's slave popula-
tion in tli s island that they do render all due obedience to their
masters, and to the several'and respective constituted authorities
of this island. I do hereby declare, that when his Majesty's gra-
cious intention with regard to the slave population become law,
it is to me, his Majest)'s representative, that they are to look for
information on the subject—and I do hereby further declare that
it will be my especial care, either by myself personally, or
through those commissioned by me, that all the conditions of
change in the situation of the slave population shall then be
fully communicated and explained to them; and, in the mean
time, I do hereby enjoin patience as to the result, and confi-
dence in those the gracious intentions of the Sovereign on their
behalf with that unfailing respect to his authority which requires
implicit obedience to the lawful command of their masters. And
I do most solemnly warn and admonish them, the slave popula-
tion, or any other person or persons within this island, against
engaging in any act or deed of violence and insubordination
Mainst the said constituted authorities, or against any of his
ajesty's subjects whomsoever. And Ido hereby declare and
make known to all persons whomsoever within this island, that,
by so doing, they will expose themselves to the severest penal-
ties of the law; and I do hereby charge and command the seve-
ral custodes and magistrates, and ail others his Majesty's sub-
jects in this island, to give the fullest publicity to this my pro-
clamation. ' _

"Given unler my hand and seal at arms, at Saint Jago de
la Vega; this twenty-ninth day of June, in the year of our
Lord one thousand-eight hundred and thirty-thiee, and in
the fourth year of his Majesty's reign.
"1U LGRAVE."
On the same subject the Jamaica Courant of the 29th
June contains the following observations; which display
considerable warmth, and, we believe, speak the senti-
ments of the great body of planters :

"Where arc all your acts of parliament? Where is the act
of 418 George 111., cap. 12 ? The mercy begging act, which
vainly prostrated England before revolted America? Where
is that act—that solemn treaty, passed to pacify the " revolts"
of the United States ? It exists on the statute book, and de-
clares that the British parliament has no right to tar the colo-
nies!! When it was passed, Franklin mocked at it, and said
"the fraud will not avail;" it was passed in the moment of
peril, to he nullified in the day of security—and he was right.
But the robbery will not be single. Bishop and lord, and
higher too than they, must also be devoured; for when did the
popular beast of prey lose its hold on prhperty, whilst any
remained to be gorged? So much for the honesty of the mea-
sure ! Its policy and humanity we leave for another day, when
we shall show that it is impracticable for good, and facile
ill; and that its effect can only be ruinous to the slave. We
will, then, manifest the gross falsehoods uttered by Mr. Stanley,
in a speech which displays as much hypocrisy as falsehood—as
much rapine as deceit. When the hour comes that the Derby
estates are being rifled, and the Stanleys are groaning at the
sight of their burning mansions and plundered treasures—then
will some West Indian, like Mary of Anjou, say—" I, too, had
wealth till a Stanley stole it! I, too, had children, till a Stan-
ley killed them !" Yes, then will the aristocrat feel the effects
of becoming one of a gang of legalised spoilers, when that gang
turn on their accomplice and spoil and rend him, as he has
spoiled and Tended others."

This is peppery enough, but we bare no room for fur-
ther comment. The following proclamation was issued
by Sir James Carmichael Smith, the new Governor of
Demerara, on the 23th June, and was addressed to the
" Slave Population of British Guiana :"
" I was only sworn yesterday into the high and important office
which his Majesty this thought proper to entrust into my hands,
and you may judge yourselves by my losing so little time in
addressing you atter my arrival, of the value I attach to your
welfare and. happiness.
"You are all of you aware that it is the intention of the King
and of the people of England that your situations shall be im-
proved. What those improvements may be, are as yet under
consideration. You may. rely. upon my word, that whatever
orders concerning you are received by me, they shall forthwith
be made known to you ; and it will be my duty to carry those
orders punctually into execution. I wish to warn you, however,
against all impatience, disobedience to your masters, absence
from your duties, insubordination, rioting, or illegally assem-
bling. The peace and tranquility of the country must be main-
tained; and if you adopt any other conduct than that which be-
comes peaceable and obedient subjects, you will compel me,
however unwillingly, to employ force to uphold the existing
laws. Remain quietly and peaceably, therefore, at your several
employments, and you may rely with confidence upon my com-
municating to you whatever changes may be ordered from Eng-
land for your advantage.
" I have been told, that Some foolish people amongst you ima-
gine they are to be made free altogether, by which they under-
stand that they are not to be required to perform any more
work. Be assured, my friends, that this is a very great mis-
take, and which can only lead to discontent and disappoint-
ment. Every man in this world is required to work in some
way or other; and, by the command of the Almighty Father of
LB all, we meat all and each of us acquire our bread with the
sweat of our brnw. In what manner it may be decided that
your situations shall be improved, no person in this colony can,
at present, truly tell you. Be assured, however, that moderate
labour will be expected and exacted from every one of vou."
" I trust that you will seriously consider and reflect on what
I have said, and conduct yourselves accordingly. Your old
people must see the great changes and improvements which have
been effected within a few years in the state of the slaves. Do
not you, by impatience and improper conduct, force his Ma-
jesty's government to go backwards instead of forwards, in
regulating the connexion and the nature of the duties to be
severally performed by your masters and yourselves.
" It is my intention, as soon as I can find sufficient leisure,
to visit every part of this colony; and it will afford me the
greatest pleasure to find you all happily and busily employed at
the different estates, and to hear from your own lips that what-
ever improvements you, in your several situations, may be
desirous to obtain, vet, that you are convinced that it is only
by your good conduct you can expect to induce the King and
the people of England to take further interest in your welfare.

PUBLIC MEETING OF THE INHABITANTS OF

TOXTETH-PARK.

On Wednesday week pursuant to public notice, there was a
meeting of the inhabitants of Toxteth-park, in consequence of
their "being for the first time called upon to pay a rate for the
repairs of 'Walton Church?" and convened to "determine on
such measures as they might think fit to adopt." J. B. Yates,
Esq., was called to the chair.
The Chairman briefly stated the object of the meeting, and
said that it was desirable to know whether Toxteth-park came
under the act for building churches. He fancied there was an
error in the notice calling this meeting, as it was not solely for
the repairs of Walton Church that the rate was required.
After some desultory conversation, Air. Lafone stated that
the chief question was—is Toxteth-park extra parochial' If
it was, what authority was there for calling on the inhabitants
for a rate for Walton Church? He did not think there was any
ground for such a claim. There were precepts years old to
prove that Toxteth-park was extra-parochial,—they were ad-
dressed to the constable of the township next to the extra-paro-
chial place of Toxtetla-park, commanding him to levy a rate
upon the inhabitants for the purposes of a war. The place was
and is a forest, never having been disforested, and had formerly
its forest courts. Sir James Scarlett had declared that it was
not liable to church cess from custom, and the churchwardens
of Walton knew well (for they had got an opinion on the sub-
ject) that it was extra-parochial, and, as inch, exempt from
their claim. He trusted. that this illegal claim would he firmly
resisted. He could state. that, until lately, Toxteth.park bad
been wholly free from county rates, leys, and assesanenls. An
act of Parliament passed a few years ago causing all extra-
parochial places to bear a portion of the county burthen b; ought
it under these payments—much greater in amount than what
is expended upon the numerous poor. The present claim had
been brought now, because if it was not made before this month,
it could never be made at all.

Mr. Lathbury had known the place for thirtv-two years, within
which no such claim had been made. The Earl- of Sefton's
estates had been free from any such demand.

Mr. Cartwright said that the rate was required, not solely for
the repairs of Walton Church, but for general purposes.
Mr. :Murrow objected to the rate. A law-suit had already
decided that Toxteth-park was extra-parochial, although it did
pay tithes to the rector of Walton. As part of the ancient pos-
sessions of the Duke of Lancaster, it had extraordinary privi-
leges, ecclesiastical and civil. It was not even under the civil
jurisdiction of West Derb.
The Chairman conceived it was in the hundred of West
Derby.
Mr. Murrow.—Not in the township. There is no proper
constable for Toxteth Park; all precepts must be addressed to
the constable of the adjoining township. Ile would resist the
claim, on the ground of Toxte-th Park being extra-parochial.
Mr. Cartwright said that when the commissioners for building
the Church of St. John the Baptist had applied for aid to this
township, the answer had been that it had nothing to do with
them. they then applied to the parish of Walton, and the pre-
sent claim had arisen from that application.
The Chairman thought the question was, whether Toxteth
Park being extra-parochial, the meeting should resist this claim,
in limine and pass resolutions to that effect ?—(Applause.)
Mr. Whitnall explained how this claim had been made. The
churchwardens of Walton had recently issued accounts with
this demand, one of, which had been handed by a Toxteth-park
rate-payer to Mr. ellis, the constable, who submitted it to the
chairman of the committee. A special meeting was summoned
to consider it, and the result was a determination to resist it, as
illegal, in the most effectual manner, and to call a general meet-
ing of the inhabitants. A sub-committee (consisting of Messrs.
Lafone, Jordan, Duncan, and the speaker) was appointed to
carry this into effect, and the legal adviser of the committee
drew up the advertisement convening the meeting, and recom-
mended that the claim be resisted, and the anus probundi thrown
on the churchwardens of Walton. Under these circumstances,
he (Mr. W.) had drawn up the resolutions, which he would now
read.

The resolutions were then carried unanimously.
Mr. Cartwright wished that an opinion should be taken, pre-
vious to the determination to resist the claim; but there was an
unanimous feeling against any temporising.
A message was brought, towards the close of the proceedings,
from Mr. Lace, (who was too ill to attend the meeting,) recom-
mending that the issue be tried on one case, on the merits,
and that the decision in this instance should decide the other
cases. The meeting separated after a vote of thanks' to the
chairman.

) ppmflçç itltt~i~i £iZtC.