Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1815-10-07

Seifeu noih ms lOrdshlp, the following an.
swer
ITO A. mKenrot, esquire. Horn tTaver,, Doc
tors Commons IS &
SO. James Square, JfaTch 90, 1911
Lord Castlereagh presents his co,npli-
ments to Mr.. M'Kenrot, and begs DO re.
Ter him on the subject of his letter, to lord
Liverpool, now secretary of state for the
colonies, to whom he has taken the liber.
ty OF transmitting Nlr. M'Kenr6t's com
munication.o IS
Inc author IN q note very modestly dsclajms
the ideaof his letter having had any weight with
the court ofappesls. Itso happened, however
that the colonial sentence was reversed, and the
loans, condemned to the crown.
b.
'ToWillam Wilberforce, esq. p. NJ.
London, November lTfh, 1915.
SIR-As you have always been one OF
the principal promoters of the abolition o.
the Save trade, think it very expedient
to form you ola gross abuse of this hui
name act still existing in the British West
India colonies, in direct contraventio OF
the provisions OF the legislature, enac ting,
that the slaves on board of every prize
ship taken bya British cruiser, shall be
drafted into his majesty's navy, or land
forces, and that women and others not fit
for that purpose, shall be bound to some
trade. for IA years. Two American slave
vessels, the brig Amadea, Johnston, mas
ter, and the schooner Nancy, Vidal, mas
ter. were condemned early In 1903. in the
court of vice-admiralty in the island of
Tortola, but instead of being disposed of
as aforesaid, sir Alexander Cochrane, then
commander In Chief of his maiesty's naval
forces on the Leeward island station, con.
trlyed to obtain possession of all these un-
fortunate blacks, about 200 in number, by
connivance of the Judge and the navy
agent, and sent them to Trinidad. TO be
employed, that is TO say, forced to work.
and logged. on sugar estate of his own.
without taking even single man into the
navy or army Having purchased a large
Spanish prize schooner "a Guineaman of
his own creatieal for the purpose of trans
portinglthem, 70 Trinidad, he chartered al
so the brig Busy. Fitzpatrick, master, in
addition to'whit1 he caused brio Of war
toconvoy those disgracefuI cargoes from
Tortola to Trinidad.
The legislature never intended to bind
slaves, or more properly speaking. liberat-
ed blacks, to the trade of digging cane
holes or other toilsome operations of a SUI
gar plantation, and the noble admiral suf-
fered himself, certainly,in this instance, to
be carried great deal too far by his ava
rice. He might have, perhaps, EMPLOYED
on his estate one dozen ofmen in the diff
ferent trades of coopers, carpenters, ma
sons, blacksmiths, and the like, but work
ing as field negroes is certainly not trade
within the meaning and intention of the
statute.
Sir Alexander Cocbrane being now in
this country, you may call him to an ac-
count, as understand he is shortly to 90
abroad again to take upon himself a COM
mand and you maymake use of my name
and knowledge of the circumstances above
alluded to, in any shape you think fit. SO
the liberation ofthe aforesaid Africans is
thereby effected, whose lives would other
wise be wasted in this slavish occupation.
and at the expiration OF their cruel appren
ticeship, they will be left probably to beg or
starve any where, but on sir AIexander's
estate.
l have the honor to be, very respectfully,
sir your most humble servant.
A. M'KENROT."
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