The Statesman.
London, England, 1824-02-11 00:00:00

Mr. CARRINGTON (the Agent for Barhadoes). whim

deviating from that 'temperate course recommended by
those who had preceded him, deemed it right to take a
view of those circumstances which bad brought West
India property into the situation in which it was found at
this moment. A few years ago it was held forth to the
British nation that measures of interference with the Colo-
ides were indispensible. The warnings then given by prac-
tical men were tli4regarded, and the consequence was, in
one night, a flourishing colony had been given up to the
horrors of conflagration, while the lives of his Majesty's
jects, and those of the slaves themselves, were exposed
to destruction. The true cause of the calamity had been'
lint on record by a gallant officer, who bad been roused
trout his bed in the middle of the night to hear the tale of
i-inry; and to whose presence of mind the country owed
touch fur the atop which had been put to the wide-spread-
iht; ruin. He had proved that the cause of
the evil must be found in the interference which had
taken place in the affairs of the colonists. The unhappy
deluded victims of that insurrection, at the moment of
their execution, had acknowledged inch to be the fact, and
but owned that they bad no cause of complaint against
their waster.. He meant no disrespect to any party when
be said the Colonists were not then befriended as they
blight have been. No effOrt was made to establish that
I.elneiple which had to-day been so forcibly pot forward,
that.if Colonial property were to be interfered with, com-
pensation ought to be made. He then noticed the insur-
rection at Demerara, and remarked that the sufferers, like
11.10se Bath i adoes bad no complaint against their masters.
This coincidence he thought must strike every one, and
Olive that the statements of negro suffering had been
pat!), exaggerated. He hoped that this meeting, feeling
unanimity to be most desirable, would cordially unite to
the claims of the Planters of Demerara, to com-
pensation for the evils they had suffered. He was for
l'oaving the prayer of the Petition; and gave it as his
41) nion, that not to protest against the interference which
4dd so iejerionsly been ventured upon, would be a derelic-
tion of duty. If this were not given np there would be no
hope for those connected with the Colonies; but from the
adoption of the principle, that they had the vame claim to
compensation which was advanced by the holders of other
daaeriptions of property, when interfered with by state
policy.
Mr. J. Mantas (of Barbadoes) expressed the satisfaction
and gratitude inspired in his bosom by the language of the
gentleman who had already addressed the Meeting. He
would join hand and heart to promotelhat concord and
unanimity which had been so properly recommended on
the present occasion. Not counsclhog them to imitate the
conduct of their adversaries, he wished them to bear in
blind that those against whom they had to contend pos-
leased the subtlety of serpents. One of the venomous
brood had been " scotched' at Demerara, but others ree.-
mained Who were lie actively engiged in those dangerose
Pursuits as ever. When the insurrection of Berbadoes, oc-
curred, Mr. Wilberforce sod bis party entertained an ides